Winners announced for the 2023 A&DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards for Architecture

(5 December 2023) The winners of the 2023 Architecture and Design Scotland and Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Scottish Student Awards for Architecture have been announced. 

The winning projects included ideas on how to reuse materials from redundant buildings, resolve our industrial past, how communities can connect to the land through architecture and why cities have to be fun to be sustainable.

The winning and commended students were announced at the annual Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture on Monday 4 December at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre in Edinburgh. The lecture was given by Becca Thomas of New Practice on “Building Community”. Becca was also this year’s guest judge.  

Significant interest 

This year’s awards saw over 70 entries from the five Scottish schools for architecture. The entries included projects that span various environments such as cities, post-industrial sites, and rural settings. The projects submitted this year continue to push the boundaries of how design can contribute to a more sustainable future and show a strong engagement in social and civic issues. 

Jim MacDonald, Chief Executive of Architecture and Design Scotland said: 

“The Student Awards are an excellent way for us to showcase the talent that exists across Scotland’s schools of architecture. This year we have renamed two of the categories that we support. We are delighted to support the Placemaking Awards and the Designing in a Changing Climate Awards. This reflects the importance of taking a place-based approach to design, and the critical need for us all to design for our changing climate. It has been a pleasure to see the creativity that the students have put towards tackling the significant issues of our times and their approach to creating a more sustainable place for us all to live in and enjoy.”

The judging panel consisted of:

Becca Thomas, Creative Director and Architect of New Practice
Chris Stewart, RIAS President, Architect and co-founder of Collective Architecture
Ashley Mullen, Senior Architect for Architecture and Place Team for the Scottish Government
Alistair Scott, A Founder of Smith Scott Mullan Associates and Board Member of Architecture and Design Scotland

Winner: Rachel Crooks – The Mackintosh School of Architecture for Quarrying the Ruinscape

Judges’ comments: This project shows a convincing approach to urban renewal. It moves from a big presence down to a human scale. Taking the soon-to-be redundant, crumbling ‘Palais de Justice’ in Brussels with a problematic history, this project makes an imaginative and democratic response with the community involved in decisions, by researching gap sites and possibilities, leading to real solutions for reuse.

Also awarded in this category:

Commended: Beatrice Ryan – University of Dundee for Growing Beyond Trauma

Highly Commended: Catherine Campbell – University of Strathclyde for Geo-escharotomy: The Catalytic healing process for post-industrial landscapes.  
 

Winner: Alon Shahar – University of Edinburgh - An Architecture of Gleaning 

Judges’ comments: This project covers very relevant community use, in a deprived area in Leith, Edinburgh. It brings people together to connect to the land through the architecture. Super simple small buildings work well, nestling in with existing buildings. It has sculptural shapes, explored through beautiful models, and shows an understanding of material and evocative hand drawings. 

Also awarded in this category:

Commended: Theodorela Sideri - University of Strathclyde for GL.OB Glasgow Observatory: A drone center at the eastern gateway of the city 

Winner: Stuart Waitt – University of Dundee for Sport, Recreation, & Active Travel

Judges’ comments: Cities have to be about fun if they are going to be sustainable, understanding the human aspect of why people live in cities. This project includes ready-made solutions that weave into the landscape of Dundee city centre. 

Also awarded in this category:

Commended: Becky Whitehead – University of Edinburgh for The Reuse Network AND John Pottage – the Mackintosh School of Architecture for Urban Palimpsest

Highly Commended: Rachel Crooks – the Mackintosh School of Quarrying the Ruinscape

Winner: Andrea Nicole Casono, Beatrice Kalyani Ryan, Gilian Charisse Fronda, Le Uyen Minh Tran – University of Dundee for Organic Strip Strategy
 
Judges’ comments: This project in Tacloban City, Philippines demonstrates a holistic approach rooted in the use of the existing topography, local resources, and rich cultural heritage. It tackles the climate emergency at a completely holistic level including resilience, social, and food resources. It could be all doom but the project shows sensible, responsible outcomes.

Also awarded in this category:

Highly Commended: John Pottage – the Mackintosh School of Architecture for Urban Palimpsest

Winner: Michael Becker – University of Edinburgh for A Habit of Building: Considering Labour, the Architect and the Construction Site

With a medieval feel in its storytelling this project in Leith, Edinburgh communicates to everybody not just architects but the public. Everyone will get the messages and the feeling from construction to the feast. The drawings which feel both old and new are alive in lots of ways. Feels very old and new at the same time.  The accompanying film adds to the strong storytelling technique.

Also awarded in this category:

Commended: Marie Airth – Scott Sutherland School of Architecture - The Vertical Brewery

Highly Commended: Beatrice Ryan – University of Dundee - Growing Beyond Trauma