Two castles and a prison on best buildings list
Fairburn Tower is one of two restored castles on the best building list for 2025
- Published
Eleven buildings have been named as winners of the annual Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) awards.
The buildings include two restored castles, a road bridge, a whisky distillery and Scotland's newest prison and young offender institution.
The 11 winners will now become the "longlist" for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland award.
The shortlist will be announced in July ahead of the winner being revealed in November.
Aldourie Castle, Loch Ness, by Ptolemy Dean Architects
The Category A-listed Aldourie Castle has been conserved and all the surrounding estate buildings restored as well as new ones added, including farm buildings, an energy centre, a boathouse and a pedestrian bridge.
The judges admired how the project reconnected the disparate buildings to their romantic setting.
The restoration of Aldourie Castle took five years
Traditional materials and craftsmanship were used throughout
The judges admired how the project has restored the spirit of the place
Caoghan na Creige, Isle of Harris, by Izat Arundell
The stone-clad building blends into the rugged Hebridean landscape, giving the home the appearance of a modern-day blackhouse.
The judges described the project as a testament to what can be achieved through patience, skill and a profound respect for place.
The stone-clad building blends into the rugged Hebridean landscape
The home has the appearance of a modern-day blackhouse
The judges described the project as a testament to what can be achieved through patience, skill and a profound respect for place
Ellengowan Regeneration, Dundee, by Collective Architecture
Ellengowan Regeneration replaces 124 deteriorating flats with 130 affordable homes.
It is a mix of housing including accessible flats, cottage flats, family terraced houses and a corner shop.
The judges praised the project's inclusive approach which balances modern needs with heritage preservation.
Ellengowan Regeneration replaces 124 deteriorating flats with 130 affordable homes
The staggered housing blocks step down the steeply sloping site, with elevated living spaces allowing residents to enjoy views across the River Tay
A simple material palette respects the conservation area setting
Fairburn Tower, Muir of Ord, Highland by Simpson & Brown Architects
Built in the 16th Century and added to in the 17th, this remote Category A listed structure had fallen into a ruinous state.
The judges described Fairburn Tower as an exemplar project, where restoration and reconstruction are beautifully accomplished, while also delivering characterful holiday accommodation.
The remote Category A-listed structure had fallen into a ruinous state
Key features include a Renaissance-style painted ceiling, created in collaboration with artist-craftsman Paul Mowbray
Challenges such as installing electrical cabling, plumbing and bathrooms were inventively overcome
Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge, Gairnshiel, Aberdeenshire by Moxon Architects
The Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge provides a new route over the River Gairn, eliminating the lengthy detours and delays caused by frequent structural damage to the 18th Century crossing as it was no longer suitable for modern-day traffic.
The judges described the project as a fine example of how to integrate a modern vehicular bridge into a sensitive landscape.
Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge offers a contemporary interpretation of the original bridge, which has been preserved and set aside for pedestrian use
The new bridge features locally sourced granite for the parapets and embankments and weathering steel for the primary structure
The 18th Century crossing was no longer suitable for modern-day traffic
HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Stirling by Holmes Miller Architects
The building is billed as a "fundamental rethinking of custodial environments in Scotland".
It supports women in custody through spaces that are intended to promote dignity, equality and meaningful rehabilitation.
The judges praised it as a model of how public buildings can be both operationally robust and deeply humane.
The new spaces are said to promote dignity, equality and rehabilitation
Carefully arranged pavilions are embedded within the landscape, with generous courtyards and garden spaces
Internally, the focus is on creating private, safe and flexible environments that feel more domestic than institutional
Kinloch Lodge, Lairg, by GRAS
Kinloch Lodge is a "light-touch" conservation project which aims to maintain the charming and idiosyncratic nature of the original mid-19th Century lodge and its outbuildings.
RIAS said each has been lovingly, painstakingly and respectfully restored exactly as they were found, using traditional methods and materials.
The judges said the architects' involvement is refreshingly understated and thoroughly respectful of the original buildings.
Kinloch Lodge is an example of a 'light-touch' conservation project
The original mid-19th Century lodge and its later extensions have been painstakingly restored exactly as they were found
GRAS used traditional methods and materials to gently coax the buildings back into life over many years
The Nucleus Building, University of Edinburgh, by Sheppard Robson
The building is described by RIAS as a new heart for the University of Edinburgh which unites teaching, learning and social spaces.
The judges described the Nucleus Building as a deftly executed piece of civic architecture.
The building is described as a vibrant new heart for the University of Edinburgh
The judges described the Nucleus Building as a deftly executed piece of civic architecture
Its rich array of breakout areas, social spaces and study environments support different ways of learning
Riverside Primary School, Perth, by Architype
Riverside Primary School is the first Passivhaus-certified school in Scotland.
The judges described it as an exemplary project, which will serve as an inspiring model for the design of schools in Scotland and across the UK.
The school brings the complex needs of nursery, primary and intensive support provision (ISP) under one roof
Flexible interiors are finished with a palette of neutral colours and non-toxic materials
The judges described this as an exemplary school project
Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk, by MLA
The Rosebank Distillery had been considered lost but it has been carefully restored.
The jury was impressed by the design team, who navigated complex constraints including contamination, conservation, coal mining risk and listed structures.
They said the retention and restoration of the chimney, lockkeeper's cottage and red-brick buildings reflect a commitment to memory and place.
Rosebank Distillery has been thoughtfully brought back to life through an evocative restoration
The retention and restoration of the chimney reflects a commitment to memory and place
The jury was impressed by the depth of engagement and ambition shown by the design team
Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen, by Stallan-Brand Architecture + Design
RIAS said this transformation of a long-neglected civic space reclaimed Union Terrace Gardens as Aberdeen's green heart.
The judges praised the project as a benchmark in public-realm regeneration, demonstrating the power of sensitive, people-centred design to transform a city's sense of place.
A long-neglected civic space has been reclaimed as Aberdeen's green heart
The project includes the restoration of statues, railings, arcade arches and even the subterranean Victorian toilets
Three refined, lantern-like pavilions sit comfortably within their sensitive context