The £7m redevelopment of Helensburgh town centre has won a second national design award.
The public realm area, designed by Austin-Smith:Lord as part of Argyll and Bute Council’s CHORD project, took home a Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) Award at a ceremony in Glasgow’s Hilton hotel this week.
RIAS commended the regeneration project for delivering on ‘the design ethos to create a town centre with attractive, usable and flexible public spaces to support community events, festivals and markets’.
Along with the other RIAS 2016 award winners, Helensburgh town centre will now be part of the shortlist for the RIAS Doolan Award for Architecture, the winners of which will receive £25,000, making this both the largest architectural prize in the UK and one of the most significant architecture awards in the world.
Graham Ross, Austin-Smith:Lord partner, said: “We are all the more thrilled to receive such a prestigious award in the centenary year of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
“It’s an honour to be amongst an impressive crop of RIAS award winners that collectively showcase the best in contemporary Scottish architecture and design.
“Community consultation and collaborative working by a talented team has been at the heart of delivering this successful project in Helensburgh.
“In the midst of this week’s World Town Leadership Summit in Edinburgh, the example of Helensburgh demonstrates the positive impact town centre regeneration can have.”
Last month, the Helensburgh project was recognised with a Scottish Design Award, which rewards top architecture firms and design agencies for their contribution to the country’s historic and contemporary design culture.
It was also short-listed for four other awards this year – RICS Awards 2016, FX International Design Awards, the Civic Trust Awards and the Scottish Property Awards.
Ellen Morton, the council’s policy lead for infrastructure, said: “This is wonderful news. We are absolutely delighted that this major improvement project continues to gain national recognition.
“Now we have an attractive, usable and flexible public space for general enjoyment and to support community events, festivals and markets.”
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