With hundreds of entries to choose from, the twin panels faced the arduous task of singling out projects which stood head and shoulders above the rest, gravitating toward those schemes which address the energy crisis and lay the path for a more inclusive society.

Glasgow Queen Street Station and the University of Strathclyde Learning and Teaching Building, both designed by BDP’s Glasgow studio, have been shortlisted in separate categories.

The transformation of Scotland’s third-busiest rail hub from a run-down collection of outdated extensions into a soaring contemporary concourse that celebrates the station’s Victorian heritage, has been nominated in the ‘Public Building’ category, while the refurbishment of two existing buildings to form new teaching spaces, lecture theatre, Student union and support services, has been shortlisted in the ‘Retrofit’ category.

Ed Dymock, architect associate, BDP, said: “Since 1878, James Carswell’s original train shed has been hidden away at the heart of Queen Street, but the southern extension of the platforms gave us the opportunity to open up the views, work with volume and scale and allow the station to play a civic role within the city.”

Martin Jarvie, architect associate, BDP, added: “We are delighted to be nominated for these awards. At Strathclyde University the decision to transform the existing buildings rather than a new-build project has substantial sustainable benefits.  Our Sustainability Team compared the embodied carbon of the adaptive re-use of the existing building structure to a notional new build equivalent and demonstrated that the project saved around 67% of CO2e.”

Holmes Miller’s recently completed Waterfront Place project in Dundee has been shortlisted in two categories.

The new Active Travel Hub, interactive landscape, urban beach and life-sized whale sculpture meaningfully promote active lifestyles and low carbon transport, while enhancing the experience for local people and visitors to Dundee’s active waterfront.

The architecture judging panel was chaired by Allan Murray, founder of Allan Murray Design; together with David Narro, Consultant at David Narro Associates; Kirsten Lees, Managing Director at Grimshaw; Dr Penny Lewis, Architectural Studies Programme Lead at University of Dundee; Thea McMillan, Design Director at Chambers McMillan Architects and Adrian Welch, founder of the e-architect.com.

Architecture chair Allan Murray, the founder of Allan Murray Design, said: “The Scottish Design Awards is a unique platform to showcase the work of Scottish designers. The past two years have been extraordinarily difficult for many people which is why it is so positive to see how design has remained at the heart of who we are.

“The quality of the submission designs is testimony to the continuing creativity and energy of Scotland’s talent. Many submissions prompted important debates on key issues facing our professions - placemaking, energy, housing, social equality, access as well as ambition and vision.

“There is much to be positive about and celebrate and also much to be done to continue to generate debate and advocacy on the quality of environments we wish to see in the future.”

All our winners will be revealed on the evening of 29 June following a gala awards presentation at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow.