George Ferguson: High standards that serve our nation well

Published on Friday 22 April 2011 16:23

These projects tell us that, in Scotland, standards of architecture have not slipped through the recession and there are some extremely good, exemplary schemes.

It's very interesting to see a big lean towards the more sustainable, environmentally friendly building that we feel is very important.

Good architecture is not about the big buildings. It is equally found in some of the smallest ventures and single house projects.

You get a greater variety in Scotland than any other country or region in the UK, in terms of landscape and of architecture.

I think there is a certain robustness that comes out of being in a more testing climate than the southern parts of the UK. From that comes a greater understanding and determination about making projects sustainable.

Even in the most contemporary of Scottish architecture there is a respect for tradition, and very little comes out of nowhere. Even within good contmeporary buildings there is a respect for tradition.

I'm always particularly impressed when contemporary architecture is used in historic context. It often brings the best out of architects, when they are having to try that much harder, than they are when designing a solitary building.

George Ferguson, past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, chaired the RIBA awards in Scotland judging panel