Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning
2002
Presented by the Scottish Executive in association with The Lighthouse
Report of the Judges
Morag Bain, Robert Cowan, Scottish Executive
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Introduction
In November 2001, the Scottish Executive issued the policy statement Designing Places. This sets out the Executive's aspirations for design and how the planning system can help to deliver them. A key strand of the policy is education and training. As part of this, Margaret Curran, Minister for Social Justice, announced the introduction of an Urban Design Award for planning students in June 2002, entitled the Designing Places Award.
The Award is in association with the national programme delivered by The Lighthouse. The Award is intended for urban design work that has been carried out as part of the curriculum on planning courses whether a project, dissertation, essay or report. It was open to all under-graduate and post-graduate students, and all four Planning Schools were invited to enter.
A total of 9 entries were received from Heriot-Watt University and from the University of Dundee. The Judges selected a short list of five, and then viewed each applicant's coursework in association with their A2 entry board. The Judges awarded 1 Award, 1 Special Commendation and 3 Commendations. The Judges' comments on the winning entries are summarised below:
Winning entries
Award
1. Urban Design Analysis and Proposals - Culross
Nominee
Heriot-Watt University
Entrants
Colin Lavety, Martin Brown, Eric Dawson, Alun White, David Abercrombie and Evelyn Ann Stewart (1 st year part time Diploma)
Judges' comments
The Judges have given this project an Award because it is an outstanding piece of work. It was evident that the Group had worked well together. The judges were impressed with the extent of community consultation, and the effort taken by the group to understand the context and develop innovative solutions which incorporate important urban design principles. The result is a bold, clear vision for the village which is extremely well presented.
Special commendation
2. Dundee's Cultural Quarter
Nominee
The University of Dundee
Entrant
Ailsa Manners (3 rd year)
Judges' comments
The Judges thought that this piece of work had been very well researched. The Judges were impressed with the care that had been taken to present the work in a simple, but clear and effective format. The proposals are strong on original thought and professionalism.
Commendations
3. A comparison of recent residential urban design practice - Netherlands & Scotland
Nominee
Heriot-Watt University
Entrant
Ben Wilson (Final year)
Judges' comments
This work was inspired by a field trip to the Netherlands. The Judges thought that the project demonstrated a good understanding of urban design principles for modern housing design. It makes good references to recent Executive policy and attempts to raise the quality of future design standards.
4. Waverley Valley Urban Design Project
Nominee
Heriot-Watt University
Entrants
Naomi Sandilands & Ben Wilson (Final year)
Judges' comments
The Judges were in no doubt that this was one of the most difficult projects to tackle. The work, however, shows a very bold attempt to analyse the site and present inspirational solutions.
5. Dundee's Cultural Quarter
Nominee
The University of Dundee
Entrant
Stephen Kilmartin (3 rd Year)
Judges' comments
The Judges thought that this was a piece of work which showed a real flair for imaginative thought. The proposals for improving pedestrian circulation and public art in Dundee are radical and present a creative challenge to traditional urban design.
Other entries
6. New developments in Conservation Areas
Nominee - Heriot-Watt University
Entrant - Naomi Sandilands (Final year)
7. Dundee's Cultural Quarter
Nominee -The University of Dundee
Entrant - Ross Nimmo (3 rd Year)
8. Dundee's Cultural Quarter
Nominee - The University of Dundee
Entrant - Grant Byars (3 rd Year)
9. Wellcome Trust Bio-centre Analysis
Nominee - The University of Dundee
Entrant - Stuart Rose (3 rd Year)