Buildings have designs on success

A RECORD ten buildings in Scotland - including an island community hall and a mental health unit - are to compete for Britain's top architecture prize.

Housing association offices, a revamped art gallery and a centre for blind war heroes will also go forward to compete for the coveted Stirling Prize. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has selected 89 buildings across the UK to go forward, with the six-strong shortlist due to be announced in the summer.

The ten Scottish contenders include private homes in Castle Douglas and on the Isle of Coll, an affordable housing scheme in Dunoon, the Isle of Raasay's new community hall, the new Centre for the War Blinded in Edinburgh and the revamped McManus Galleries in Dundee.

RIBA president Sholto Humphries said: "Ten awards is a fantastic result and a record for Scotland. The RIBA Awards are UK recognition of excellence in architecture and from this result it is clear Scottish architectural talent is competing strongly, both within the UK and more widely.

"We are in the midst of a very difficult time for the construction industry, with public commissioning more and more being the province of big business."