THE BOTANIC COTTAGE, EDINBURGH WINS THE SCOTTISH CIVIC TRUST MY PLACE AWARDS 2017
THE ISLE OF HARRIS DISTILLERY WINS THE CHAIRMAN’S AWARD
The winning and commended projects in the Scottish Civic Trust My Place Awards 2017 were announced today, 23 March, by Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government and Housing and Colin McLean, SCT Chairman, in The Lighthouse, Glasgow.
The winning project is The Botanic Cottage, Edinburgh
The Botanic Cottage, Edinburgh, a project by architects Simpson and Brown for the Royal Botanic Garden, involved moving an 18th century building, stone by stone, across Edinburgh and rebuilt in the Royal Botanic Garden with all the stones and timbers going back in the correct place. It looks as good as it did 250 years ago. The project is built to the highest possible standards and has quickly become a joyous community and education facility.
John Pelan, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust said:
“This is a fantastic project which meets all the criteria and more for the My Place Awards. Passion, determination, quality, design, community engagement and civic pride are in abundance in this wonderful and surprising restoration project. Edinburgh has a new civic asset to be proud of.”
The Isle of Harris Distillery on Tarbert won the Scottish Civic Trust Chairman’s Award.
The first legal distillery in the Isle of Harris has been established with the aims of addressing issues of population decline and the related challenges facing the fragile local economy in this remote Outer Hebridean location. The result of several years of much community engagement, the distillery build has now come to fruition, opening its doors to the public in October 2015. The judges were hugely impressed by the quality of the design and build but, more importantly, by the project’s clear wider benefit to the Island of Harris, its inhabitants and many visitors.
SCT Chairman, Colin McLean said:
“The distillery has created 18 high quality, permanent well-paid jobs in a place where they were badly needed. The distillery works canteen is now well used by local people looking for a place to meet and blether. It has created a renewed sense of sprit on the island. It is truly The Social Distillery“.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND COMMENDATIONS
Scottish Civic Trust My Place Awards 2017
WINNER
The Botanic Cottage, Edinburgh
Nominated by the Cockburn Association
Designer: Simpson and Brown
Client: Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Connecting Communities Along the Carron
Nominated by Along the Carron Association
Client: 16 communities along the River Carron
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Inverness Campus
Nominated by Inverness Civic Trust
Designer: HarrisonStevens
Client: Highlands and Islands Enterprise
COMMENDED
Boulder Path Gardens and Bathgate Road Verges Improvement Project, Blackburn
Nominated by Community Action Blackburn
Client: Community Action Blackburn/West Lothian Council & WESLO Housing
COMMENDED
Whithorn Roundhouse, Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway
Nominated by Whithorn and District Community Council
Designer: Hazel Smith
Client: The Whithorn Trust
SCT CHAIRMAN’S AWARD
WINNER
Isle of Harris Distillery, Tarbert
Designer: John Coleman
Client: Isle of Harris Distillers
RUNNER-UP
Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline
Designer: Simon Laird Associates
Client: Fire Station Creative
CIVIC CHAMPION
WINNER
Fiona Wyllie
Nominated by Kilmaronock Community Council
HIGHLY COMMENDED
JAMES HARRIS
Nominated by Coupar, Angus and Bendochy Community Council