2007
Scottish Design Awards
On Friday May 18 the Scottish Design Awards for 2007 were presented in Glasgow. A number of our projects were represented in the final nominations. The following projects won awards:
- The Bridge, Easterhouse, Gareth Hoskins Architects - Grand Prix and Public Building Award
- Heriot Toun Studio, Reiach & Hall Architects - Chairman's Award for Architecture and Commendation in Residential Category
- Dysart Regeneration/Artworks, City Design Co-operative Ltd. - Public Realm/Landscaping Award
For full list of Scottish Design Awards visit www.thedrum.co.uk
RIBA Awards 2007
At three events held on May 17 in London, Manchester and Reading, 63 buildings across the UK were announced as RIBA Award-winners. RIBA Awards are given for buildings that have high architectural standards and make a substantial contribution to the local environment. We are very pleased that The Bridge Arts Centre, Easterhouse, Glasgow is one of the winners of 2007 RIBA Awards in Scotland. We congratulate Gareth Hoskins Architects for a well deserved award and hope to continue our long-standing collaboration with their practice.
For full list of 2007 RIBA awards visit www.architecture.com
Completed Projects
Garvald Centre, Edinburgh
After a number of years trying to find suitable premises to consolidate and locate all their units in the one building, finally the Garvald Trust bought the redundant Dalry Primary School in Orwell Place. With Oberlanders Architects designing the new facilities, this has now been converted into an adult art school where pottery, weaving and art will take place. The new centre also includes a new dining hall, which is an extension to the old building. We have been involved with Garvald on many projects and wish them all the best in their new home.
Pictures by Oberlanders Architects
New Playground, the Meadows
A large (and much-needed) play-park has recently been completed by City of Edinburgh Council at the east end of the Meadows.
David Narro Associates was asked by sculptor Jeremy Cunningham to provide structural design input for a number of installations around the perimeter of the park. Jeremy's intention was to create oversized versions of the toys of our youth (in the days before Playstations), including a diabolo, a whip & top and a gird & cleek. All the sculptures were designed for 'student loading', with the whip in particular representing a challenge, as Jeremy wanted it to bend in several directions from the top to the tip of the 4m high 'stick'.
Within the park sits an apple carved from stone, which rotates on a turntable hidden below the surface. Jeremy wanted to ensure that the connection between apple and base was unobtrusive, and we were able to match his requirements with a tight group of resin fixings into the underside of the stone.
So far the park, and the sculptures, have proved to be a great success!
Pictures courtesy of Jeremy Cunningham Architects
Artist's Studio, Heriot Toun
This project is a part of our on-going collaboration with Quercus Rural Building Design. Designed by Reiach & Hall Architects as a gathering place for collaboration and exchange of ideas amongst artists, it reflects our strong desire to implement where possible sustainable materials and techniques.
The studio comprises timber post and beam structure bearing onto timber piles with the external timber cladding. Ground source heat pump and natural wool insulation add to an eco friendly design.
The studio won a Commendation in the Small Project Award Category at Edinburgh Architectural Association Awards for Architecture ceremony held on 23 March in the Hub, Edinburgh.
New member of staff
We are delighted to announce the appointment of a new Senior Engineer, Dominic Echlin. Dominic has an MEng Degree in Architectural Engineering and is fully chartered through his membership of IStructE. He is also an Approved Certifier of Design (Buildings and Structures). He gained strong experience working with well respected practices in London before moving to Edinburgh five years ago. Since then he has built up an excellent reputation as a specialist in Historic Structures and Modern Interventions in Historic Buildings.
Dominic's appointment brought a long planned practice restructuring to a logical end. The practice has grown in size over the last few years to the extent that a new structure was required. We are very pleased to announce that to improve project control we have created three sections each led by an experienced Senior Engineer. The new Section Leaders are Ben Adam, Dominic Echlin and Martin Forbes - each of whom have a great deal of experience to draw on and will ably create a new middle management level in the Practice.
Study Trip
Barcelona, the city of great past and present architecture, has been chosen as desination for our now regular study trip. The highlights of the trip were undoubtedly a tour of Sagrada Familia and a visit to Colonia Guell, both tributes to Antonio Gaudi genius (or madness). For a short selection of Barcelona images taken during the trip click here.
Best of the professionals
In this year's MRUK survey on construction professionals, published in the January 2007 edition of Prospect Magazine, David Narro Associates were Runners Up in the Best Structural Engineers category. The article says:
'Coming hot on the heels of Arup was David Narro, who has always been respected by architects in Scotland. There was a time when talented young architects would complain that Richard Murphy was hogging Narro, denying others the chance to work with a talented engineer. Things have moved on and Narro has been focusing his attention on extending his client base. His practice was 20 this year, it has 18 staff and has recently extended its office. The practice has been doing a lot of work with Gareth Hoskins, on the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, on the Culloden project and on the bridge at Easterhouse. It is also involved in a few projects with Sutherland Hussey and Simpson and Brown. Narro is also working with artists such as Jeremy Cunningham and Donald Urquart on public art works. Narro himself has joined A+DS as an enabler. He enjoys working closely with architects and really appreciates the strong design intentions of those his practice works with'.
David Narro Associates are delighted with this result, which reflects how well the company is thought of by Architects throughout Scotland. For the full article on MRUK results, visit www.architecturescotland.co.uk.
