The quest for Scotland's best new buildings of 2022 has begun. The RIAS Awards have been championing Scottish Architecture since 2012, and it is that same dedication to quality and breadth which will be on display in this year’s awards season  when looking at the architectural endeavour across the Scotland.

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced the 14 buildings that are contenders for the 2022 RIAS Awards. The shortlisted buildings are spread all across the country and include new school and college buildings, a restored iconic Modernist house, a community centre, and pioneering low-energy homes.

The RIAS Awards is the only award that celebrates architectural projects of all shapes and sizes. The prestigious ceremony features an expert jury who assess each shortlisted building for its architectural integrity, sustainability criteria as well usability in context with other sources around it; before choosing one winner who will be announced at this year's award.

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Jedburgh Grammar Campus 

Murray Kerr who is the founder of the award-winning practice Denizen Works; Christina Gaiger who is the current President of The RIAS and committing to the creative reuse of buildings; Audrey Carlin who is the CEO at Wasps Studios providing affordable studio space for creative people across Scotland; and Tony Chapman who was the former Head of Awards for the RIBA are the jury members of 2022 awards. 

Tamsie Thomson, the CEO of RIAS, said “We are delighted to have such an expert and talented line-up to jury the RIAS Awards 2022. Our jurors play an essential role in ensuring the Awards highlight the best in Scottish architecture and promote it on a global scale.”

The RIAS announced that "the winners will be announced in June. They will go on to form the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award. The final award will be announced later in the year." 

The 14 shortlisted projects are;

1- Barony Campus in Cumnock by Sheppard Robson

"The Barony Campus of Sheppard Robson has consolidated five schools into one on the on the edge of a 20-hectare site. The buildings are connected by an elevated route and offer students natural light. The school takes advantage of this space to create a learning environment that is bright, airy and spacious for all learners," told RIAS.

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

2- Forth Valley Campus in Falkirk by Reiach and Hall

RIAS pointed  that the architects Reiach and Hall designed the New Forth Valley College campus to provide equal support for the widest possible range of people via state-of-the-art laboratories, training centres and workshops.

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

3- Fungarth House in Dunkeld by Mary Arnold-Foster Architects

The Fungarth House was designed to be different. Instead of a single building, 4 elements were created and combined together for an interesting south facing walled garden that provides relaxation in any weather condition

"The materials used are as far as possible local and robust. Scottish grown larch was used for the rainscreen cladding on the roof and walls of the house and corrugated fibre cement for the office and bike store. A quarry 10miles away provided the aggregate for the terrazzo floor, the kitchen was made 5 miles away, the fireplace is a simple concrete block with a rendered waxed and polished finish and the pine floor upstairs was bleached and waxed," explained by RIAS.

Photograph © David Barbour - via RIAS

Photograph © David Barbour - via RIAS

Photograph © David Barbour - via RIAS

Photograph © David Barbour - via RIAS

4- Glenkinchie Distillery in Tranent by Michael Laird Architects Limited

RIAS noted that "the Glenkinchie Distillery comprises of the refurbishment and upgrading of a collection of Victorian listed buildings."

"As Michael Laird Architects wanted visitors to appreciate the industrial heritage of the converted listed warehouse, they kept the beautiful Victorian brickwork, and also preserved and exposed the cast-iron columns, steel beams, and timber joists that formed the original structure."

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

5- Havenfield Mews in Edinburgh by Sonia Browse Architects

For Jury, the Havenfield Mews by Sonia Browse Architects is a new mews street in Portobello that seeks to combine the charm and character often found within traditional properties with sustainable design features.

The design is inspired by Portobello’s Brighton and Rosefield area, where single-story wings connect late Georgian houses together. Each property's garage sits back from the street to create an element of privacy for its inhabitants while still joining them with other homes in similar fashion as those found around this particular neighborhood.

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

6- Herbridean House in South Uist by Greig Penny Architecture Ltd.

The family croft is located near the south-west coast of South Uist in a harsh, isolated, and beautiful landscape. The client's dream was to return to the Outer Hebrides and regenerate the croft. The brief was to create a house that would recognize the changing cultural and societal needs of the island. This house explores how a modern croft house might be built today that is an economical house embracing the affordable construction and materials.

Photograph © Greig Penny - via RIAS

Photograph © Greig Penny - via RIAS

7- High Sunderland in Galashiels by Loader Monteith Architects

Recognised as a building of national importance, "this 1957 Category-A listed modernist icon was designed by Peter Womersley for Bernat and Margaret Klein. This modernist icon suffered extensive fire damage which led to its new owners hiring Loader Monteith restore this beautiful home back into shape."

RIAS told that; "Loader Monteith forensically sifted through the debris, recording the entire structure and salvaging as much of the original material as possible both for reuse and future reference. Along with their clients, they chose to preserve these delicate details, highlighting their commitment not only to the architecture of Peter Womersley, but the personality and use of this over time, and the role it has played in the Kleins' own creative legacy."

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

8- Inverness Justice Center in Inverness by Reiach and Hall

The importance of the Inverness Justice Centre for jury is that it is the first court complex in Scotland to have all the organizations that administer and support the justice system in one building. The building design is meant to help with reforms that are happening to the justice system. The key reforms, which can be helped by architecture, are making things more accessible, legible, and visible.

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

9- Jedburgh Grammar Campus in Jedburgh by Stallan-Brand

For Stallan-Brand, Jedburgh Campus is a new, different way to think about how a Scottish secondary school should look. "This space will take students from early years through to when they finish school and get a job. They designed this space based on the idea that the students should take the ownership of their space and be encouraged to choose their own learning experiences."

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

10- Lockerbie Sawmill in Lockerbie by Konishi Gaffney Architects

The RIAS told that Lockerbie Sawmill is a new building that is an opportunity for James Jones & Sons to show off their skills as Britain's largest sawmiller and miller of timber products with an approach to minimising the use of steel and maximising timber. The building was to be briefed to Konishi Gaffney who created it as a  new space welcoming visitors while also providing additional office space in addition with staff accommodation."

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

Photograph via RIAS

11- Ostro Passivhaus in Kippen by Paper Igloo Ltd.

"Ostro by Paper Igloo is a contemporary and exemplary low-energy dwelling on the periphery of Kippen’s Conservation Area. A Certified Passivhaus, the building achieves extremely low operational and embodied carbon emissions and attained ‘Gold’ accreditation in Section 7 of the Scottish Technical Standards;"as told  in project brief by RIAS.

"The designers behind this project wanted to dispel the myth that exquisite contemporary architecture cannot be truly low energy or environmentally beneficial. They created a house which sits comfortably within its semi-rural context: facing south towards mixed species woodlands, west with open views of nature’s beauty beyond it's boundaries and housing buildings to the north and east."

Photograph © David Barbour via RIAS

Photograph © David Barbour via RIAS

Photograph © David Barbour via RIAS

12- Quarry Studios in Ballater by Moxon

The Moxon Architects office, Quarry Studios, is a low-lying building located in a former quarry that is surrounded by a heavily wooded Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. The jury impressed with the main studio and café buildings that are designed to represent the private and public aspects of practice: encouraging collaboration and concentration as a response of a growing practice.

"The lack of compartments in the main working areas - while maintaining difference and privacy - is a consequence of the desire for a flat hierarchy while recognising the requirements of different activities in the space," pointed by RIAS.

Photograph © Tim Soar - via RIAS

Photograph © Tim Soar - via RIAS

Photograph © Tim Soar - via RIAS

Photograph © Tim Soar - via RIAS

13- The Den in Glasgow by Technique Architecture and Design Ltd.

The RIAS report mentiones that "this home and studio space by Technique Architecture and Design was designed as a fun place to live with great views of the Kyles of Bute. The architects combined two dilapidated flats into one living space. They added a new sculptural plywood volume that contains the kitchen, bathrooms, and storage. An exoskeleton and insulated metal ‘jacket’ gave the property a new look and made it more comfortable to live in."

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

Photograph © Dapple Photography - via RIAS

14- The Larick Centre in Tayport by Collective Architecture Ltd. 

Pointed RIAS as "a beacon of hope and opportunity that will light up the future for generations to come, the Larick Centre, by Collective Architecture in Tayport community was opened its doors 2020 with sustainability and community participation at its core.  It embodies the community's drive and achievement to secure its future for generations."

As the client appreciated this; "In addition to creating jobs for local people, The Larick Centre has become a beacon for the community providing a space for people to gather, socialise and learn. It’s a wonderful example of our community working in partnership with Collective Architecture who listened to our needs and enabled a sustainable building design to secure the community's for generations to come."

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Photograph © Andrew Lee - via RIAS

Top image: Barony Campus by Sheppard Robson. Photograph © Keith Hunter - via RIAS

> via The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland - RIAS