A+DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards for Architecture 2011 winners
Kieran Sheehan, sinking romanticism - Venice Observatory
Architecture + Design Scotland and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland are pleased to announce the results of this years student awards for architecture.
These awards, which are now in their 9th year, recognise the achievement of individual students and their schools of architecture. They are a mark of the continuing high standards of Scottish architectural education and ensure that both construction professionals and the public can enjoy the creativity and vision of Scotland’s future architects.
the judges this year were:
- Ian Gilzean, Chief Architect, Scottish Government.
- Edgar Gonzalez, Brisac Gonzalez Architects
- Kate Hendry, Sust. Programme, Architecture + Design Scotland
- Sholto Humphries, RIAS President Sholto Humphries
RIAS Rowand Anderson Silver Medal for best Scottish student
Winner: Kieran Sheehan – Mackintosh School of Art
Sinking Romanicism – Venice Observatory
These very strong contextual proposals are presented in a style which relates well to their historical urban contexts yet is both contemporary and distinctive. The work demonstrates very extensive investigation, detailed urban analysis, careful consideration of the internal spaces and precise renderings of the proposals in context. The ingenious reference to precedent was particularly appreciated as was the invigorating, well considered invention of new space. In every aspect these are strong architectural statements and bold proposals for two quite distinct urban contexts. The drawn and written communication of the proposals is exemplary.
Commended: Adrian Doherty – Dundee University
Slateford Sculpture Factory
Both projects deal with contexts at the edge – of city and remote rural village respectively. Great care has been taken in the placing of new objects in these quite different settings. Both proposals are appropriate in form and sensitive in scale.
Commended: Daniel O’Donnell – Edinburgh College of Art
Research Futures
These beautifully drawn proposals address the disparate cityscapes of Georgian Edinburgh and contemporary Berlin. Both present uncompromisingly contemporary solutions with carefully considered internal and exterior forms.
Commended: Rebecca Thomas – Strathclyde University
The Pop Up City
These projects explore different aspects of contemporary urban living with ingenuity and wit. The adaptability and focus on economic and social sustainability of each endeavour was particularly praised.
Special Mention: Harry Kirkham – Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Instigating Clastic Urbanism - Marseille
Drawing upon the historic, social and geographic contexts this project is ingenious in its weaving of appropriate new uses into the fabric of the city. The evolution of the idea is elegantly expressed and the proposal itself is both gutsy and urban.
Award 02 Architecture and Design Scotland Award for best 3rd year student
Winner: Andrew Barrington – Edinburgh College of Art
The Foyer
The contextual analysis combines a review of the historic port setting with commentary on more recent residential development and a consideration of the immediate riverside setting with mature trees. The proposal cleverly utilises the opportunity for increasing the scale of the building to fit within the contours of its setting. The spaces within the building and its impact upon the area are carefully considered and beautifully expressed. In both schemes the use of the topography of the sites is skilfully handled.
Highly Commended: Colin Davis – University of Dundee
City Archive, Dundee
Working within an historic, industrial urban context, this proposal carefully re-uses an existing building, pared back to its bare plan form. New interventions are legibly inserted to address a complex contemporary usage. The presentation is spare, elegant and atmospheric.
Award 03 Architecture + Design Scotland Urban Design Award
Winner: Marianne Keating and Cara Shields – University of Strathclyde
Stabilising the Delta: Bangladesh
This is a durable, sustainable architectural response to a recurring problem within many rural communities in Asia. Utilising cheap, easily obtained local materials and low technology building methods, it provides a holistic approach to creating a durable community. The design approach is legible with an easily understood sequential narrative, elegantly expressed.
Highly Commended: Catherine Busutti, Harry Kirkham and Robert Mainwaring – University of Edinburgh
Instigating Clastic Urbanism
Working within the established bastides of Marseilles and a number of separately characterised areas described as ‘islands’, this project recognises the unusual constraints on development imposed by this city’s unusual topography. The scheme is therefore focussed upon improving existing built fabric, the re-use of abandoned gap sites and densification. The analysis of the historic, social and topographic contexts is exacting and the proposed new development is appropriately scaled and well drawn.
Award 04 Sust. Award for Sustainable Design
Winner: Marianne Keating and Cara Shields – University of Strathclyde
Stabilising the Delta: Bangladesh
This project addresses a number of key sustainability issues. It endeavours to provide a durable, economically viable mechanism for supporting a whole community. While eschewing an overtly traditional approach to design, it utilises traditional materials, acknowledging their inherent benefits in addressing the recurring climatic problem of flooding. The analysis of the socio/economic context which underpins the sustainability approach is well considered.
Commended: Colin Davis – University of Dundee
City Archive, Dundee
The re-use of existing buildings is inherently and demonstrably sustainable. This scheme applies careful retro-fitting to enhance energy performance and to provide a durable and attractive solution to an exacting brief.
Award 05 The RIAS Drawing Award
Winner: Daniel O’Donnell – Edinburgh College of Art
Research Futures
This suite of elegant hand drawings simultaneously and ingeniously explore the technical complexity and the aesthetic qualities of their disparate subjects. In rendering the three-dimensionality of an Adam terrace or the proposal for a new visitor attraction for Berlin, they are seductive and elegant in their communication of form space and content.
Commended: Adrian Doherty – University of Dundee
Slateford Sculpture Factory
The simplicity and directness of line gives these drawings a legible and attractive quality. The urban scheme cleverly juxtaposes line renderings with shots of architectural models which demonstrate great care in the design of internal spaces. The rural proposal argues convincingly that context is all.
Commended: David Fleck – Robert Gordon University
Sheltered Housing
The judges were impressed by the originality and sheer quality of this student’s work. Characters inspired by Sylvain Chomet populate an Aberdeen sheltered housing scheme drawn in a muted palette of browns and ochres, some renderings ingeniously drawn over photographic images. By contrast the second scheme, for a rural school, is rendered in light and colourful textures. Both sets of drawings are infused with delight.
An exhibition of all the nominees work will be shown at
The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell lane, Glasgow G1 3NU
6 August – 22 September 2011
The awards are jointly promoted by Architecture + Design Scotland at The Lighthouse and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. They are sponsored by the Scottish Government and RIAS Insurance Services.