St Andrews building wins Best Building in Scotland prize

West Burn Lane was picked from a shortlist of twelve projects

A building in St Andrews has been awarded the Best Building in Scotland award for 2015.

West Burn Lane, by Sutherland Hussey Harris, picked up the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) Andrew Doolan award from a shortlist of twelve projects.

The award was presented at the National Museum of Scotland by Fiona Hyslop MSP and Mrs Margret Doolan.

The winner received a gold medal and a cheque for £25,000.

The prize makes it the richest architectural award in the UK, and one of the most significant in Europe.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: "Once again, both the worthy winner and the strength of this year's shortlist for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Award have shown that the quality of Scotland's new architecture stands shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.

"The Scottish government is pleased to support both of these initiatives to celebrate and promote Scottish design excellence."

The award is supported both by the Scottish government and the family of the late Andrew Doolan, an award-winning architect who died in 2004.

The projects shortlisted for the Doolan award were:

• 1. Arcadia Nursery, Edinburgh (Malcom Fraser Architects)

• 2. Dalmunach Distillery, Moray (Archial Norr (Inverness Studio))

• 3. Highland Steading, Blairgowrie (Marcus Lee/FLACQ and cameronwebster architects)

• 4. Lamb's House, Edinburgh (Groves-Raines Architects Ltd)

• 5. Laurieston Transformational Area, Glasgow (Page\Park Architects and Elder and Cannon Architects)

• 6. Maggie's Lanarkshire, Airdrie (Reiach and Hall Architects)

• 7. The Mill, Scottish Borders (WT Architecture)

• 8. Regency Dormer, Edinburgh (Konishi Gaffney Architects)

• 9. Rosefield, Edinburgh (A449 LTD)

• 10. The Shields Centre, Glasgow (Anderson Bell + Christie Architects)

• 11. Theatre Royal, Glasgow (Page \ Park Architects)

• 12. West Burn Lane, St Andrews (Sutherland Hussey Harris)

West Burn Lane is a "high end" contemporary development in St Andrews, designed by Edinburgh based architect firm Sutherland Hussey Harris.

The building was selected from a shortlist of twelve projects across the country which represented a comprehensive range of building types.

A panel of judges looked for projects which showed "innovation and design excellence, irrespective of size or type", and narrowed the total of 65 entries down to 12.

Other key considerations included detailing, accessibility, environmental issues and technical skill.

West Burn Lane is a "high end" contemporary development

Judge Willie Watt said: "Year on year the shortlist for this award, all winners of RIAS Awards, demonstrates the superb quality of contemporary Scottish architecture.

"The work of architects can be transformative, not simply of places, but of people's lives.

"Well done all the architects and particular plaudits to the superb winning scheme."

A passage from the judges' citation for the winning project said: "Expertly woven into the existing fabric of St Andrews, although uncompromisingly contemporary, the development acknowledges the historic street pattern and scale of its special context.

"The external materials palette is limited and of extremely high quality.

"While the built fabric in the vicinity is predominantly structural stone, the use of a warm continental brick with narrow courses is appropriate and welcoming.

"Both externally and internally, the detailing is meticulous and the development is full of interest.

"The client and the local planning authority are well worthy of praise for creating a fine, twenty-first century, housing development, wholly appropriate to the place and the needs of owners."