Towards a culture of value – architecture in Scotland today

(June 2026) In the third episode of the Value of Design podcast, we sat down with Tamsie Thomson, Chief Executive of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and Caitriona Jordan, Associate Director of Retrofit and Energy Efficiency at Built Environment-Smarter Transition (BE-ST). RIAS and BE-ST are part of two new strategic partnerships that we recently announced at the launch of our business plan.

Titled “Towards a culture of value – architecture in Scotland today”, the episode highlights some of the challenges and opportunities that are happening in Scotland for those who are in practice and the wider issues we face as a society.

Co-hosting this episode are Urban Designer Alex Laurenson and our Chief Executive, Jim MacDonald.

Recorded online, the conversation between Jim and Tamsie brought into focus some of the key challenges facing architects in Scotland today, including the need to better articulate the value of design, shift away from cost-driven decision-making, and address the fragility of the sector in Scotland.

At the heart of the discussion is a call to rethink how we invest in the built environment. Rather than prioritising lower upfront cost, Tamsie argues for a long-term view – one that recognises the social, economic and environmental value of good design.

This is particularly striking given the strength of Scotland’s award-winning architecture. As Tamsie mentions, from major civic projects like the Edinburgh Futures Institute to community-led restorations such as Preston Tower, the RIAS Awards highlight the depth of talent and impact across the country. Yet despite this, translating that excellence into everyday decision-making is still lacking.

The conversation points to a clear opportunity: by shifting towards a culture of value and building on Scotland’s collaborative strengths, we can unlock better outcomes for people, places and the wider economy.

The second interview sees Jim and Caitriona explore how architecture can help tackle the climate emergency, from delivering Net Zero targets to scaling housing and standardising solutions.

A key focus is the gap between ambition and delivery. While Scotland has strong policy goals, Caitriona highlights that the real challenge lies in implementation and the need to better connect policy, innovation and practice.

Through examples from BE-ST work, the conversation shows how collaboration across industry – particularly with contractors and designers – can accelerate learning and turn ideas into scalable solutions. Crucially, it challenges the idea that standardisation limits design, instead positioning it as a tool to support better, more efficient outcomes. 

The message is clear: by building on existing “pockets of good practice” and strengthening leadership and partnership, Scotland has a real opportunity to deliver at scale, creating places that meet climate targets while improving everyday life.

Featuring

• Co-hosts: Alex Laurenson (Urban Designer) and Jim MacDonald (Chief Executive), Architecture and Design Scotland
• Tamsie Thomson, Chief Executive, The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
• Caitriona Jordan, Associate Director of Retrofit and Energy Efficiency at BE-ST

Resources

• Learn about our Business Plan 2026/27 and new partnerships
• Learn about RIAS
• View the RIAS Award 2026 winners
• Learn about BE-ST

Value of Design is an original Architecture and Design Scotland podcast, where our in-house architects and designers speak with influential voices from design, architecture and the public sector. Listen using the player above or on your preferred podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and SoundCloud.