Sunday 22 November 2009

Andrew Doolan Award Winners 2009 - it's a dog's life


Archial's small animal hospital

Nem merely reports. Nem makes no comments. Nem leaves that to others. That way, she keeps out of trouble... ;-)

Updated with further set of pictures 24th November*


The winner of the Doolan Award 2009 was announced on Friday, and despite this being a larger architecture prize in financial terms,  the news hardly made the mega splash which the Stirling made, milked for all it was worth by the AJ.

So - to make up for that, here in glorious wraparound technicolour,  is the worthy winner:

Archial Archial Archial Archial

Thanks to the RIAS :

Small Animal Hospital Wins Doolan Award

http://www.rias.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s2_22&newsid=3414&back=s2_1

Saturday, November 21, 2009

“Unique and Ingenious” New Veterinary Hospital Scoops UK’s Richest Architecture Prize

The Small Animal Hospital by Archial Architects has been awarded the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2009. From a shortlist of eleven projects the judges selected the Small Animal Hospital as a clear winner. Their citation for the building highlights the “unique and ingenious way it integrates a very substantial medical facility within the parkland setting of Glasgow University’s Garscube Estate”.

The full citation reads:


“The new Small Animal Hospital is located at the entrance to the grounds of Garscube Estate and forms part of the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. It provides state of the art services for animal owners and referring practitioners.

Internally the building is simply organised both horizontally and vertically with a clear division of public and private hospital space. The working hospital, set behind the gabion wall, is focussed around a central treatment hub which acts as the heart of the building. There are clear and unrestricted views towards day-care, intensive care, operation suites, diagnostics and oncology. 

The building is set unobtrusively into its setting, a massive grassed roof creating a new hillside within the landscape. The building’s great triumph is the unique and ingenious way it integrates a very substantial medical facility within the parkland setting of Glasgow University’s Garscube Estate. However, the rooftop ‘lantern’ and the boldly defined entrance ensure that this superb building declares its presence and scale. This is a highly complex work of architecture which sets new standards in the design of buildings for veterinary medicine.”

The building was selected from a strong shortlist which represented a comprehensive range of building types, including two restoration projects and buildings in both urban and landscape settings.  

This year’s judges were Professor Andrew MacMillan (Chair), David Dunbar PRIAS, Ian Gilzean ARIAS, Professor Kathryn Findlay ARIAS and Ian Ritchie CBE RIBA.

The winner of the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award receives a trophy designed by the glass artist Siobhan Healy and a cheque for £25,000. This makes it the richest architectural prize in the UK and one of the most significant awards in Europe. The award is generously supported by the late Andrew Doolan’s family and by the Scottish Government.

Michael Russell MSP, Minister for Culture, commented; “I commend the quality of this year’s shortlist which shows that Scottish architecture today is a match for the best internationally. We are all operating in tough economic times and it is vitally important for Scottish businesses and Scottish places to be associated with quality. The RIAS Andrew Doolan Award celebrates quality in the profession and shows that architects and the places they design are central to shaping a Scotland in which we all can prosper.”

The chair of the judging panel, Professor Andrew MacMillan, a close friend of the award’s founder, Andrew Doolan, said; “Andrew Doolan’s belief that this award would reflect the growing confidence of post devolution Scotland has been borne out by shortlists which get better and better year on year. While the Small Animal Hospital was the judge’s unanimous choice as winner a number of other buildings came very close. Scottish architecture is in remarkably good heart.”

Ian Ritchie CBE, whose practice has offices in London and Paris, commented; “There were five projects on the shortlist which stand comparison with the best new architecture anywhere in Europe - the Beatson Institute New Cancer Research Facility, Glasgow by Reiach & Hall Architects, the Boathhouse at Balnearn, Loch Tay by McKenzie Strickland Associates, the Infirmary Street Baths, Edinburgh by Malcolm Fraser Architects,


Malcolm Fraser, of Malcolm Fraser Architects, North Bridge, Embra, newly appointed Geddes Professorial Honorary Fellowy thingymajig at the Uni


the New Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow by Reiach and Hall Architects and the Small Animal Hospital, Glasgow by Archial Architects. Scotland’s architects are currently producing work which is worthy of international recognition. Let’s hope the Doolan Awards are a major step in that direction.”

David Dunbar, the President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, noted; “Architects are having a very tough time at present. The recession has hit hard. This award demonstrates the fantastic quality that is being achieved by indigenous talent. We are working with the Government and our colleagues among Scotland’s client groups and the construction industry to ensure that we support and retain this tremendous asset. The quality of Scotland’s future built environment will depend upon it.”

*An excellent set of pictures and more reportage here:

http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/small_animal_hospital_by_archial_architects_named_best_building_in_scotland/

Sharing the news headline, and basking therefore in the glory, if not the champagne, for a whole weekend @NemesisRepublic was also on the home page of Urban Realm in fabulous Twittercolour,  as the last Tweet from UR was to me and so it remained in view all weekend (under the link to Peter Wilson's brilliantly fun Weekly Wrap). I am honoured. I suppose I should do a screen capture... no doubt by the time anyone reads this my 15 minutes of fame will have vanished, but I am savouring the moment along with a glass of Ardbeg.

http://www.urbanrealm.co.uk/

Peter Wilson on another awards ceremony, which is recommended reading:

http://www.urbanrealm.co.uk/news/1920/Flying_the_flag_for_good_housing_shouldnt_be_a_half_mast_activity.html

The shortlist announced earlier this month (thanks to Urban Realm):

Judges for the RIAS Best Building in Scotland Award have announced their selection of short listed contenders for 2009. Chaired by Andy MacMillan the jurors chose eleven projects ranging from the Roses Design Awards Grand Prix winner, Stobhill Hospital and the Beatson Institute Cancer Research Facility, both from Reiach and Hall.

BD's "Carbuncle Cup" candidate Hotel Missoni (below) by Alan Murray architects is also in contention



Carbuncle finalist Hotel Missoni (pics by Nem) click to enlarge


along with:

Boathhouse at Balnearn, Loch Tay: McKenzie Strickland Associates

Infirmary Street Baths, Edinburgh: Malcolm Fraser Architects

Niddrie Mill and St Francis Joint Primary School, EdinburghElder and Cannon Architects

North Glasgow College, Glasgow: RMJM Scotland Ltd

Small Animal Hospital, Glasgow: Archial Architects

Social Housing at Moore Street, Glasgow: Richard Murphy Architects; Elder and  Cannon Architects, Page \ Park Architects and JM Architects;

The Printworks, Glasgow: Cameron Webster Architects

Trongate 103, Glasgow: Elder & Cannon Architects

For further pictures of the winner see:

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/doolan-prize-archials-small-animal-hospital-lands-25000-first-prize/5211177.article

(and in the cause of fairness, and in order that Bad British Architecture doesn't have a coronary

http://badbritisharchitecture.blogspot.com/2009/10/murrayfield-housing-edinburgh-by.html

there's a comment under which reads:

This really shouldn't credited to Archial seeing as it is the work of Glasgow's Davis Duncan architects... this building was well advanced on site over a year before Archial swallowed the practice whole... but I digress, congratulations to all involved...

although another later comment states:

For clarity, Davis Duncan Architects was purchased by the SMC Group (now Archial) in September 2006.)

Pictures of all buildings on the shortlist, and AJ comments,  can be found here:

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/doolan-prize-2009-finalists-named-in-battle-for-scotlands-best-building/5210492.article


Nem

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