en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced the winners of the 2026 Special Category Awards, with seven projects receiving honors.

The Sustainability Award, sponsored by Luths Services, was won by Iorram, designed by Baillie Baillie Architects. This new-build cottage in the Scottish Highlands demonstrates environmental awareness, with the jury impressed by the "seamless" rooflight above the bathroom area, achieved through timber frame positioning. The jury also noted that the house strikes a good balance between "boldness" and "timelessness."

The Project Architect Award, sponsored by Equitone, was awarded to Natasha Huq of GRAS for the project Preston Tower, Doocot and Gardens. Located in East Lothian, this is a careful restoration of a historic site within a community garden. The tower was in a severely deteriorated condition at the start of the project; the restoration has revitalized it, with a new external staircase providing access to the upper floors.

The Timber Award, sponsored by CTI, was also awarded to Iorram, designed by Baillie Baillie Architects. The project makes extensive use of locally sourced Douglas Fir clay bricks, as well as traditional clay and lime roughcast. The jury noted the elegant contrast between the solid, heavy base and the sharp roof edges.

The Capital Innovation Award, sponsored by TCM, was won by the Edinburgh Futures Institute, designed by Bennetts Associates. The building, part of the University of Edinburgh, introduces a new concrete structure and a double-height "lantern" space adjacent to a new meeting wall. The project involved a major refurbishment of a Category A listed Victorian hospital suffering from structural issues and dry rot, achieving a harmonious blend of old and new.

The Client of the Year Award, sponsored by Gilmour & Aitkin, was awarded to the Tarlair Community Friends group for the Tarlair Outdoor Swimming Pool Pavilion, designed by Studio Octopi. Located in Macduff, this pool pavilion demonstrates how thoughtful architecture can revive a historic site and create value for the community. Internal upgrades have improved comfort and usability, with the jury describing it as a building that feels both "renewed" and familiar. The ongoing restoration of the deep and diving pools also reflects the dedication to revitalizing the complex.

The Architectural Interior Award, sponsored by Laurence McIntosh, was won by the Edinburgh Futures Institute, designed by Bennetts Associates. As part of the building's redesign, the interior spaces have added venues accommodating different audience sizes along the corridors, including event spaces beneath the new public square, addressing the long, limited circulation spaces of the old hospital. The jury described the institute as "a rare and compelling example of an academic building, extraordinarily rich in both space and material."

The Architectural Heritage Award, sponsored by VELUX, was won by the Canna House project, designed by LDN Architects. This Category B listed building, constructed around 1865 on the Isle of Canna, was the home of John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw for over sixty years and houses a significant collection of Gaelic culture artifacts. The project balances intervention and preservation, using photographic and research evidence to restore the house's exterior to its 20th-century golden age. Before construction began, approximately 50,000 artifacts were removed and catalogued. The jury noted that the project "required both technical rigor and curatorial sensitivity."

RIAS Chief Executive Tamsie Thomson stated that these special awards are a vital part of the annual RIAS Awards, recognizing the key contributions of project architects (often those in the early stages of their careers), as well as buildings that push boundaries in innovation, sustainability, or material use, allowing RIAS to focus on the critical aspects and individuals that make exceptional architecture possible. The awards are made possible through the generous support of sponsors.

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