The audience was able to see the 25 shortlisted projects and hear from the clients who commissioned the winning projects, while the judges who would normally visit all shortlisted projects made their decisions based on scrutiny of photos, videos and drawings.

Including interviews with the award-winning buildings’ clients was a new departure for the Awards.

Karen Anderson, president of the IAA, said: “Our clients are the most important part of the awards as without them architects could not do the great work we are celebrating. The IAA are keen to introduce new audiences to the potential of great architecture and want people to know just what expertise and creativity architects can bring to all projects. The IAA is currently considering a marketing and outreach campaign as we tend not to do that!”

Amongst the winners and commended projects are buildings from all over the Highlands and Islands; both new and exciting designs and sensitive restorations and re-purposing of our existing heritage. All the projects contribute to making the IAA area an inspiring place to see and experience good architecture. The Best Project Overall Award went to Gairloch Museum by LDN Architects and in this category the Raining Stairs development by Traill Architects was Highly Commended.

Gairloch Museum

The restoration of an existing Council Depot originally built as a blast proof ‘war room’ to re-house and expand the existing Gairloch Museum. The building was a redundant eyesore. Through hard work, the community have raised funds to create a stunning new Museum and brought the building into new and vibrant use. The Museum has recently won national acclaim as one of the Art Fund’s Museums of the Year.

The judges said: “The vision to transform a ‘bomb blast’ war room from a Roads Depot to a contemporary award winning Scottish museum, requires great imagination and ambition.

“In concept, construction and architecture, the existing building is preserved and enhanced with new openings to let light in, allowing great appreciation of the existing volumes, walls and local history. The architects’ simple and bold pared-back approach, exposing modern services on old walls, adds another layer of the life of this building. All strands of this project from budget to flooring have been drawn together to produce a local gem.”

Raining’s Stairs, by Trail Architects

At Raining’s Stairs, 16 new affordable homes and a small commercial unit have been provided on a long-vacant and constrained town centre site with a 27m level change. The flats integrate with the existing stairs, enhancing a key pedestrian route to the town and Castle. Four simple pitch-roofed blocks step down the levels and create overlooked and shared access courts. Upper flats are accessed from lightweight walkways. The use of off-site construction, pre-fabrication and lightweight cladding panels simplified the building programme, resolving the site gradient and construction access issues.

Full list of the winners:

Best New Building

• WINNER: Mill Studio, Portree, Skye: Rural Design
• Highly Commended: Eric Gray @ Seafield, Shetland: Richard Gibson Architects
• Highly Commended: Invisible House, Skye: Rural Design

Best New Life for Existing Building

• WINNER: Gairloch Museum: LDN Architects
• Highly Commended: Storehouse, Kirkwall: Leslie Burgher Architects
• Highly Commended: Beatrice Offshore: HRI Munro Architecture

Best Placemaking

• WINNER: An Talla, Dochgarroch: Colin Armstrong Architects

Best Smaller Project

• WINNER: 3 Albert Street, Nairn: Printie James Architects
• Highly Commended: Croick Mission Hut, Ardgay: CH Architects

Best Use of Timber: For thoughtful and/or innovative use of timber in construction

• WINNER: Interior, Carra, Badachro: LDN Architects

Best Project Overall

• WINNER: Gairloch Museum: LDN Architects
• Highly Commended: Raining’s Stairs: Trail Architects