The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced the four projects vying for the prestigious Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2025. This annual prize, established in 2002 and named in memory of Scottish architect Andy Doolan, celebrates a single project each year that exemplifies architectural excellence and makes the most significant contribution to Scotland’s built environment. This year’s shortlist is remarkably diverse in scale and function, spanning from essential infrastructure and public realm renewal to complex restoration and educational hubs. The selections demonstrate how architecture can successfully engage with evolving social, political, and behavioral circumstances, often working hand-in-hand with other built environment disciplines like urban and landscape design, reinforcing the idea that the best buildings serve and anticipate the needs of their communities.
A Showcase Of Functional Diversity
The 2025 shortlist is notable for the sheer variety of architectural categories it encompasses, reflecting the broad impact architecture has on public life. Unlike years past that may have focused heavily on cultural or residential projects, this selection celebrates four distinctly different functions: infrastructure, restoration, public space, and education.
The jury, chaired by Mary Duggan, founder of Mary Duggan Architects, explicitly highlighted how the chosen schemes go beyond mere architectural skill to engage with societal shifts. The shortlisted projects reinforce the idea that truly excellent architecture is not limited to monumental or luxury structures; it includes projects that improve essential daily life, preserve heritage, and foster community interaction. This diverse collection of intelligent schemes suggests that the true measure of a building’s success is its ability to thoughtfully and powerfully serve its intended purpose within its unique context.
Infrastructure And Heritage: The Bridges Of Time
Two of the shortlisted projects powerfully illustrate the intersection of modern design, infrastructure needs, and historical conservation, albeit at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge in Aberdeenshire, designed by Moxon Architects, is a striking piece of new infrastructure. Constructed from weathering steel and recycled, locally sourced granite, the bridge was built with the explicit public safety function of diverting vehicle traffic away from a Category A-listed historic bridge further upstream.
In stark contrast, the Fairburn Tower restoration in the Scottish Highlands, undertaken by Simpson and Brown, focuses entirely on the preservation of a single historic structure. This 16th-century remote tower had fallen into disrepair but was meticulously transformed into a unique holiday rental for the Landmark Trust charity. The project celebrates conservation architecture, demonstrating the deep value of protecting heritage and giving ancient structures a viable, renewed purpose for the contemporary public.
Revitalizing The Urban And Social Realm
The third project, the Union Terrace Gardens public realm regeneration in Aberdeen, showcases the power of architecture and landscape design to revitalize a central urban space. Designed by Glasgow-based Stallan Brand and London-based LDA Design, the project involved enhancing the park’s green spaces and restoring its Victorian-era features, including statues, railings, arcade arches, and underground toilets.
Crucially, the scheme added three new pavilion-like buildings containing a cafe, restaurant, and wine bar. These additions introduced new commercial and social vibrancy into the historic garden. This project represents architecture working as a key element of urban design, where new intervention is carefully balanced with historical restoration to maximize the public amenity and economic viability of a cherished urban asset. The successful navigation of this complex urban mandate makes it a strong contender for the Doolan Award.
The Academic Hub Of The Future
Completing the diverse shortlist is the Nucleus Building at the University of Edinburgh, designed by British studio Sheppard Robson. This project is a major educational hub, conceived as a central nexus for staff and students to teach, study, and socialize. The Nucleus Building reflects the modern university’s need for flexible, high-quality, and highly social learning environments that support contemporary pedagogies.
The design of the Nucleus Building focuses on creating an environment that fosters interaction and collaboration—the key tenets of modern academic life. Its inclusion on the shortlist highlights architecture’s role in anticipating and responding to changing behavioral patterns within professional and educational settings. While perhaps less visually dramatic than a granite bridge or a historic tower, the building’s success in consolidating academic life and creating a high-performance, engaging educational space underscores its architectural excellence and significant civic contribution.
The Legacy Of The Doolan Award
The Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award is unique in that it is presented annually to the best building in the whole of Scotland, automatically placing the winner in contention for the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize. The award celebrates not just aesthetic beauty, but the building’s rigour, intelligence, and overall contribution.
Past winners, such as the renovation of the Burrell Collection museum in Glasgow by John McAslan + Partners (last year’s winner) and the remote house Cuddymoss by Ann Nisbet Studio (the first ever one-off residence to win in 2023), demonstrate the award’s commitment to recognizing diverse architectural typologies. This year’s shortlist, spanning infrastructure, heritage, public realm, and education, continues that tradition, offering a microcosm of the current strengths and values driving Scottish architecture.
