Four of Scotland's buildings in line for top award

Published on Sunday 8 June 2008 22:10

SOME of Scotland's most high-profile building projects, including the refurbishment of Kelvingrove Museum and the regeneration of the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary site, have been shortlisted for a top award.

Four Scottish projects are among the 54 schemes nominated for the annual Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) awards.

The A-listed Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow is up for best conservation project, while the 450 million Quartermile project to transform a 19-acre hospital site in the capital has been nominated for best regeneration scheme.

Eden Court Theatre and Cinema in Inverness has been shortlisted in the best community benefit category, while a forestry commission office in the Highland city has been nominated for most sustainable building for its use of timber from the surrounding area.

St Pancras Station and the 02 Arena in London are among the favourites for the overall Rics prize, which is announced in October.

Scottish architecture experts were last night divided on the nominations. Adrian Welch, an architect who worked on the Scottish Parliament and is the editor of two leading Scottish architecture websites, said: "Four out of 54 is a bit disappointing, but it does fit with a bit of a lull in Scotland where we are still producing good-quality building projects, but not at the same rate as a few years ago.

"They are all good projects, but I am surprised to not see something as strong as the Pier Arts Centre in Orkney included."

But Sebastian Tombs, chief executive of Scotland's design watchdog Architecture and Design Scotland, said: "These are all quality projects and a good indicator of the diversity on offer in Scotland.

"The Forestry Commission building is a good example of the use of Scottish building materials while Quartermile has really taken on the challenges of redeveloping the World Heritage site."

Simon Pott, the chairman of the Rics judging panel, said: "The response has been excellent this year."