Edinburgh excels in 2015 housing design awards shortlist
West Pilton Crescent is among five Edinburgh housing projects shortlisted as part of the 2015 Saltire Housing Design Awards, it was announced today. The social housing development, which was visited by then Housing Minister Margaret Burgess last November, has been nominated in the Multiple Housing Development category.
Recognising housing design excellence throughout Scotland, the Saltire Society’s prestigious awards represent a long-standing commitment to celebrate innovation and excellence in Scottish house building and place-making.
Represented across three of the five available award categories, the shortlisted Edinburgh projects are:
- Alterations Renovations and Extensions:
o 1 Rosefield Avenue Lane, Portobello, a refurbishment and extension project to create a desirable family home in the conservation area of Portobello; and
o 38 Ravelston Dykes (above), a modernisation project to upgrade the electrical and plumbing systems, making the house more energy efficient and fit for purpose in the 21st century
- Multiple Housing Development:
o West Pilton Crescent (top), a modern, energy efficient social housing development in a range of unit sizes; and
o Ellersly Road, Wallace Gardens, a high quality accommodation mix of townhouses and apartments that reflects the qualities of Edinburgh’s West Murrayfield Conservation area
- Single Dwelling New Build:
o Murphy House, Hart Street, a contemporary new build within the World Heritage Site of the New Town.
The Multiple Housing Development category is particularly strong for 2015 with the Edinburgh projects facing competition from Glasgow projects, Phase 1A of the Glasgow Laurieston Transformation Regeneration Area and the Duke Street / High Street social and affordable housing development.
Also shortlisted in this category is the St Andrews West Burn Lane project, an innovative 14 unit development that had to overcome the challenge of presenting a contemporary housing solution within existing Medieval, Georgian and Victorian dwellings.
The two remaining categories are the Innovation in Housing Award, supported by the Scottish Government and new for 2015, the Landscape in Housing Award. All short-listed entries will receive a Saltire plaque marking their achievement.
The shortlists for all five award categories were announced by the Convenor of the Housing Awards panel, Jude Barber from Glasgow-based Collective Architecture, earlier today.
Those on the shortlist will now be subject to site visits by an expert judging panel consisting of architects, developers, academics, clients and tenants. The judging panel will then decide the winner of each category under the chairmanship of renowned Glasgow-based visual artist Toby Paterson.
The winners will be announced at a special ceremony on 22 June in the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, with winning projects automatically being considered for the Saltire Medal, which is accompanied by a separate cash prize of £1,500.
Past winners of this coveted accolade include North Gardner Street in Glasgow, the transformation of a semi derelict workshop and office building into a calm, private city house, designed by Cameron Webster Architects and the Artist Residence, in Perth by Fergus Purdie Architects.
Convener of the Saltire Society Housing Design Awards, Jude Barber from Collective Architecture said: “It is my great pleasure to announce the shortlist for the 2015 Saltire Society Housing Design Awards, with the standard of entries as ever being immeasurably high.
“The Housing Design Awards were established to recognise and celebrate Scottish architecture and I am greatly looking forward to the next stage of the process when the panel will have the opportunity to visit the shortlisted sites.”
Jim Tough, Executive Director of the Saltire Society said: ““The Housing Design Awards were the very first Awards scheme initiated by the society, and have been around longer than any other design awards in Scotland.
“Established in 1937, the Awards not only promote the importance of good design and housing for all, but have evolved to help to honour and encourage creativity, excellence and innovation in modern Scottish place-making.
“As we look forward to the forthcoming site visits, I wish all those shortlisted the very best of luck.”
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