Resources

We have a wide range of resources – from videos to publications – to inspire, inform and help you deliver better places in Scotland.

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Module 1: Locating for place quality

Module 1: Locating for place quality

This module will help you gain a better understanding of the Place Principle and how a place based approach to housing and the quality of place. Poor quality places aren't just bad for those living there. Over time they can lead to significant costs for the public sector, struggle to tackle big issues like climate change or inequalities. To succeed, everyone needs to work together to agree shared ambitions and this module works through key themes within this topic.
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Place skills for plan-making

Helping planning authorities take a place-based collaborative approach to Local Development Plan preparations.
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People sitting at a Climate Action Town workshop in Blackburn

How to embed climate actions in your place

Learning from the Climate Action Towns project
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Young people gathering around a table looking at a map

Climate Action Towns Toolkit

A toolkit to support people in towns and communities across Scotland to take place-based climate actions
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Event attendees at the Climate Action Towns Gathering event watching the premiere of the Climate Action Towns film in a room.

Annual Review 2023: reflections and projections

A celebration of our work in 2023 and looking forward to 2024.
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Stratheden IPCU exterior on a sunny day. Green spaces and trees surround the timber cladded building.

Pulse project gallery

Our Pulse project gallery includes short examples of various best-practice health development facilities. You can explore our gallery below for various development types ranging from hospitals to dental clinics, its locations, value of the development and the attached SCIM Design Statements. 
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A building with a row of pillars on the street facing side of the building with pale coloured bricks. The Shields Centre sign is located at the entrance.

Pulse image gallery

Our Pulse image gallery includes images of different types of health-based places. In this section of our Pulse gallery, you have access to images of outstanding healthcare facilities that meets the needs of its patients and staff. For more information view our gallery below. 
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Pupils from St Mary Dunblane, smiling at the camera during their Climate Ready School Grounds workshop session.

Climate Ready School Grounds

How we can work together to help school grounds in Scotland tackle the climate emergency. 
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A colourful illustration of a wider region along a river, with wind turbines on the hill in the background and a small settlement in the foreground.

Climate Action Towns: year two review

Reviewing a year of action and ongoing collaboration across the nine towns
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People talking in front of a stand for the Annan Harbour Action Group.

Taking action on climate change

Inspiring community-led projects from across Scotland that deliver positive, place-based climate action.
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An architectural image of new build passivhause flats for Midlothian Council. There are car parked in front of the flats with trees and people walking around it

Towards zero carbon places - making it happen at the Place Forum

Key learning points from the Place Forum exploring the role of retrofit and zero carbon buildings to create carbon conscious places.
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An illustration of a child riding a bike with their sibling. There are buildings in the background with people walking and running.

The power of place in child poverty and cost of living crisis

Find out more about our first Place Forum event and hear about the power of place and collaboration in child poverty and cost of living crisis.
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A colourful illustration of a wider region along a river, with wind turbines on the hill in the background and a small settlement in the foreground.

Key Agencies Group Collaborative Local Development Plan Offer

Supporting six planning authorities in taking a place-based collaborative approach to preparing Local Development Plans.
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A father and daughter walk across a walled seating bench at Dundee waterfront.

Annual review: reflections and projections

Our work in 2022 and projections for 2023.
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Our Shared Learning Toolkit

Watch the video to find out how the toolkit helps teachers and pupils test ways and design learning spaces.
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Aerial illustration of a map from one of the seven Climate Action Towns.

Climate Action Towns: year one lessons

Key findings and lessons learned from our first year of the Climate Action Towns project.
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An illustration of the Place Standard wheel in the background. A path with trees, benches and a small river running next to it. People are walking and cycling and there are buildings in the distance.

Place Standard

Working together to improve the quality of places across Scotland.  
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A girl in a yellow shirt looks at white postcards hanging from the ceiling in a dark room. The phrase "I wish" is written in large white letters on the wall behind her.

Scotland + Venice

Learn about Scotland’s participation at the Biennale Architettura over the years.
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A pencil illustration birds-eye view of a rural community along a river, showing green fields, and a cluster of buildings.

Public Sector Client Forum: rural futures

Catch up on our rural futures Public Sector Client Forum and hear from organisations helping to create thriving countryside communities.  
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A photograph of a yellow brick building in front of a bright blue sky

Planning performance framework report 2019-20

This report highlights how we supported the delivery of better outcomes through the planning system in 2019-20. 
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A computer render of a proposed housing development showing a wide car-free street surrounded by brick buildings and people walking down the street

Housing to prioritise people

We support the development of homes that are designed to strengthen communities. 
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An architectural sketch of people walking on a pathway and relaxing by a river beside a town centre.

Climate Action Towns

We have been working with local communities to support place-based climate action in a network of small Scottish towns.
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A colourful illustration of a wider region along a river, with wind turbines on the hill in the background and a small settlement in the foreground.

The eight principles of a carbon conscious place

The eight principles of a carbon conscious place support a holistic approach to designing and adapting places to reduce, repurpose and absorb carbon.
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An architectural sketch of a high street and housing in a town centre with trees, grass and water running alongside it.

LAUDF 15: Designing for net zero – event report

Explore all the learning from our first online Local Authority Urban Design Forum event on 1 March 2022.
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A model of a classroom made by school pupils showing different seating arrangements and children's artwork on the walls

Furniture, fixtures and equipment: toolkit and tips

Use our practical guide for furnishing and equipping spaces and settings to deliver better learning environments.
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Two people having a conversation while sat on a seat in a large atrium space. There are floor to ceiling windows filling the space with natural light.

Health design advice

Working collaboratively to design health and social care facilities for patients, staff and communities. 
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Pupils and teachers walking through a hallway in Kingsland Primary School. There are brightly coloured chairs near the window on the right.

Connecting people, places and learning

Working collaboratively to design learning estates for Scotland's new generation of learners.
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A group of people sitting at small tables outside a cafe on a sunny day

Town centre living

By working together we can re-imagine our town centres to create caring places for all. 
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An architectural sketch of a high street and housing in a town centre with trees, grass and water running alongside it.

Designing for a changing climate: carbon conscious places

We are working closely with communities and local authorities across Scotland who are designing carbon conscious places.
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A black and white illustrative aerial view of Alva town centre.

Alva Pathfinder toolkit

An introduction to the approach we took and tools we used during the Alva Pathfinder work. 
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A black and white aerial illustration of Alva town centre with mountains in the background.

Alva Pathfinder: application of the Place Standard tool

Find out how the Place Standard tool was used as part of the Alva Pathfinder project.
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A girl in a yellow shirt looks at white postcards hanging from the ceiling in a dark room. The phrase "I wish" is written in large white letters on the wall behind her.

2021 Annual Review: a reflection of our work

Our 2021 Annual Review highlights areas of work and shares some of your feedback. Our staff also reflect on their highlights of the year.
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Twigs, sticks and logs are piled up in front of a grassy hill. Most of the scene is in shadow except for a large, sunlit hill in the background.

Exploring flood risk management for Kilmarnock

The sharing of good practices in blue-green infrastructure.
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A group of people cycling down a street with a makeshift cycle lane marked out by tyres painted white.

Planning performance framework report 2020-21

This report highlights how we supported the delivery of better outcomes through the planning system in 2020-21. 
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A women smiling at the camera. She has grey and black hair and is wearing a black shirt.

Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture 2021 – Dr Jos Boys

A lecture recording from Dr Jos Boys.
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A boy in a dimly lit exhibition space looking up at postcards hanging from the ceiling. The postcards contain wishes of citizens for the future of their place.

What if…?/Scotland opening event: launch and Q&A recording

Shared hopes, dreams and wishes for the future of the places where we live. 
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An architectural sketch of green space in a town centre with people sitting and walking in the area.

Corporate Plan 2021-24

Our Corporate Plan 2021-24 sets out how we will deliver the first stage of our Corporate Strategy 2021-31.
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An architectural sketch of green space in a town centre with people sitting and walking in the area.

Corporate Strategy 2021-31

Our corporate strategy sets out how we will make the Place Principle an everyday reality in the way Scotland’s places are created, adapted and sustained. 
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A photograph of an open laptop with a blurred image of people on an online conference call

Shared learning events: Learning Estate Investment Programme

Read about the Learning Estate Investment Programme and how it helps shape great learning environments. 
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A drawing of a rainbow with chalk on a wooden gate with the words 'Keep well be happy'.

Annual Review 2020: our year in review

Despite the challenges of lockdown and the closure of our offices, we have continued to deliver high quality and important work. 
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A drawing of the Place Principle method with words 'shared ambitions..align efforts'

Why take a place-based approach to housing?

A short video introducing our skills document supporting a place-based approach to housing.
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An architectural sketch of a high street and housing in a town centre with trees, grass and water running alongside it.

Report: designing for a changing climate

Explore what we learned from the first year of our work into designing for a changing climate.
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Three young people stand at the entrance to a lane holding leaflets, in front of signage and next to two black deckchairs with the words change and invite

Scotland +Venice: Fellowship Programme 2018

Five students had the opportunity to take part in Scotland’s critically acclaimed response to the Biennale Architettura 2018. Here you can read their work.
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A large group of people sit in deckchairs in an enclosed garden space at night time watching a film

The Happenstance: Cultural Connectors Forum programme

The handout for the Cultural Connectors Forum, which took place in Venice in November 2018.
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A large group of people sit in deckchairs in an enclosed garden space at night time watching a film

The Happenstance: translations of Taiwanese articles

The translations of three articles about The Happenstance by Taiwanese journalist Sharon Ma.
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A child wearing a white t-shirt stands in a narrow streets surrounded by brick buildings looking up at a large inflatable red mouth and two black deck chairs with the words Happen and Stance

The Happenstance: the story of an airborne gondola

A first-hand account of a film screening at The Happenstance about an airborne gondola.
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A child wearing a white t-shirt stands in a narrow streets surrounded by brick buildings looking up at a large inflatable red mouth and two black deck chairs with the words Happen and Stance

Scotland + Venice: The Happenstance dispatches

A series of 12 publications or ‘dispatches’ exploring the themes and learning from The Happenstance.
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Jude Barber speaks to another professional during an event.

Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture 2020 – Jude Barber, Collective Architecture

A video of the Andy MacMillan Lecture delivered by Jude Barber in 2020.
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A person wearing a black hoodie walks on an empty high street.

Engaging communities during lockdown

Lessons from practitioners
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A man in a virtual meeting with a book opened next to the computer screen.

PSCF2020: Ben Twist and Jim MacDonald discussion

A series of interviews for the Public Sector Client Forum 2020 event.
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People sitting around a table during a LLTNP workshop in Strathard.

PSCF2020: world cafe sessions

A series of short videos from the Public Sector Client Forum 2020 event: designing for a changing climate.
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A pencil illustration birds-eye view of a rural community along a river, showing green fields, and a cluster of buildings.

PSCF2020: designing for a changing climate

A selection of online resources from the Public Sector Client Forum event 'Climate, health and place' including presentations, interviews and more.
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 14 - newsletter - January 2020

A newsletter on approaches to market-led housing
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An aerial shot of the Edinburgh coastline.

Housing to 2040

Explore how we supported the Scottish Government’s Housing to 2040 consultation with our series of workshop reports, interviews, and an exhibition.
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A photograph of a large sheet of paper with a man writing notes from a conference. The sheet is already covered in writing in multiple colours.

Shaping Scotland’s learning spaces

Reflecting on award-winning projects from the Education Buildings Scotland Awards.
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A pencil illustration of a potential town centre with green spaces, safe pathways and housing.

Planning performance framework report 2018-19

This report highlights how we supported the delivery of better outcomes through the planning system in 2018-19.
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Four people sat on a stage and presenting at the International Making Place Conference.

Place Standard videos from Making Place Conference 2019

Interviews of the attendees at the Making Place Conference.
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 13 - newsletter - May 2019

A newsletter on approaches to active travel
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An illustration of a green outdoor space in a town centre with people learning, walking and planting in the area.

Town centre living: ten principles of a caring place

Explore how town centres can be adapted to support us as we get older and what a caring place could look like. 
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 12 - newsletter - December 2018

A newsletter on approaches to placemaking, design review and assessment
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A wooden tree with seating underneath in the middle of a circulation area in a school with pupils walking through the space

Inspiring Learning Spaces Toolkit

Explore how to get the best from your learning environments with a clear process and exercises designed to help you manage change effectively.
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A view of two tall buildings reflected in the river Clyde with the sun rising behind the buildings

Planning performance framework report 2017-18

A report on how we supported the planning system in 2017-18. 
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 11 - newsletter - June 2018

A newsletter on housing delivery: from masterplans to plot passports
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A wooden structure inside a school where primary school pupils sit on the floor as part of a lesson.

Inspiring Learning Spaces

Learn how the conventional classroom is being reimagined, with learners at the heart of the process, into a space that boosts learners’ confidence and engagement.
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Interior view of Woodland hospital's cafe. It is a bright space with high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows.

Guide to the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP)

An introduction to the NHS Scotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) and how we at Architecture and Design Scotland can help. 
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A street view of Aberdeen Community Health and Care Village's white façade, set against a bright blue sky.

What is an SCIM Design Statement?

An introduction to the Scottish Capital Investment Manual (SCIM) Design Statement. 
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Illustration of three school kids walking through the forest wearing school bags..

Outdoor learning: the extended classroom

A publication on the benefits of outdoor learning for your school environments.
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A close up image of a hand adding coloured notes to a white sheet of paper with a yellow circle with the words Place Challenge 2015 written on it

Town centre living: Place Challenge 2015

Creating town centres as living places that re-use existing spaces to deliver housing, employment, and services. 
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A group of people painting a grey container at the University of Strathclyde's Mobileland Stalled Spaces project.

Stalled Spaces Scotland

Featuring a comprehensive guide and real-life examples of success stories from Stalled Spaces Scotland projects. 
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A hospital's two-storey high interior space, with a social area on the right, floor-to-ceiling windows and a large staircase.

Quality and efficiency - A primary care reference study

This resource aims to share lessons from a reference design project looking at primary care. 
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two people stand at a white wall covered with colourful graphics creating a storyboard

Graphical communication in plan-making

This resource outlines the benefits of and practical approach to using graphics when communicating plans.
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Children wearing school uniform playing in the sand surrounded by grass.

A guide to participation: what we have learnt so far

Find out how you can get a variety of school users to participate in designing your schools.  
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 03 - workshop report - May 2014

A workshop session on how different places in Scotland are approaching the development planning process
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An illustrative image of hands writing on yellow post it notes against a blue background

Local authority urban design forum 02 - newsletter - November 2013

A newsletter on sharing experience on design quality through planning guidance
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A photograph of a bright atrium space in a hospital where you can see people on several levels and walking stairs between the floors

Reference guide: commissioning healthcare developments

A brief guide for stakeholders, project board and steering group members taking part in a healthcare building development. 
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A photograph of an orchard with a gravel path winding through it. On the right hand side there is a sign saying welcome to the orchard.

The natural health service

A green vision for NHS Scotland’s outdoor estate. 
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