The special category awards are a further accolade for each project, which has already won a prestigious RIAS Award.        

The seven special category awards winners are:

Architectural heritage award – sponsored by VELUX

Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk by MLA

Once considered lost, the Rosebank Distillery has been thoughtfully brought back to life following its closure in 1993, overcoming significant challenges in the process. The jury was impressed by the depth of engagement and ambition show by the design team, who navigated complex constraints including contamination, conservation, coal mining risk and listed structures. What emerges is an elegant and intelligent interplay of old and new.

Architectural interior award – sponsored by Laurence McIntosh

Caochan na Crege, Isle of Harris by Izat Arundell

This self-build home in the Outer Hebrides is an exceptional project by young practice Izat Arundell. The interiors are restrained but richly textured, with warm-toned lime plaster walls, polished concrete floors embedded with local aggregate, Scottish larch ceilings and finely crafted beech joinery. Artworks collected by the couple are positioned in carefully planned locations, and each room has a distinct character. 

Innovation award – sponsored by TCM Capital

HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Stirling by Holmes Miller Architects

This ambitious and quietly radical project replaces HMP & YOI Cornton Vale, and marks a fundamental rethinking of custodial environments in Scotland. Working in close collaboration with the Scottish Prison Service and the Cornton Vale management team, the architects developed an entirely new model from the ground up, creating a campus of carefully arranged pavilions embedded within the landscape, supporting women in custody through spaces that promote dignity, equality and meaningful rehabilitation.

Client of the year award – sponsored by The Survey Association

Sustainability award – sponsored by Lùths Services 

Riverside Primary School, Perth by Architype

Riverside Primary School is the first Passivhaus-certified school in Scotland, and has been underpinned by a brief to combine the client’s modern and supportive pedagogy with the Passivhaus standard and the use of natural and non-toxic materials. The judges said “it is clear that the client had a bold vision and an aspiration to create a truly sustainable learning environment and this has been successfully delivered on a modest budget, which makes the achievement even more worthy of an award.”

Project architect of the year – sponsored by Equitone

Julie Barklie at Simpson & Brown Architects for Fairburn Tower

The restoration of Fairburn Tower – a remotely located Category A listed structure near Muir of Ord in the Scottish Highlands – demonstrates the highest conservation credentials in every aspect of its design and execution. Enormous care has been taken in dealing with converting the tower for holiday letting for The Landmark Trust while retaining the atmosphere and charm of the building. The judges said it should serve as an example of how to provide innovative design and construction and a sustainable approach to Scotland’s built heritage. 

Timber award – sponsored by Confor and TDUK

Aldourie Castle, Loch Ness by Ptolemy Dean Architects

This five-year project involved the conservation of the Category A-listed Aldourie Castle alongside the restoration of surrounding estate buildings and the design of new ones – including an energy centre, a boathouse and a pedestrian bridge. Traditional materials and craft building skills were employed throughout, including locally sourced and sustainable materials such as estate-grown timber. The judges said that “in terms of execution, the conservation, restoration and new work have been completed to an exemplary level.”

Tamsie Thomson, chief executive of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said: “Every year, the RIAS special awards recognise projects that push boundaries in terms of their sustainability, interior design, care for Scotland’s heritage and use of timber, and recognise the crucial role that talented project architects and committed clients play in the delivery of successful buildings.

“The RIAS is extremely grateful to the sponsors of the special category awards – Confor, Equitone, Laurence McIntosh, Lùths Services, TCM Capital, The Survey Association, Timber Development UK and VELUX. Thanks to their generous support we are able to celebrate these exceptional buildings, their architects and clients, and hopefully excite and inspire others in Scotland and beyond. Many congratulations to this year’s winners.”