Could a garden chapel, a cancer centre or a housing association be the best building in Scotland?
All have been named in the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland’s (RIAS) list of the top-100 properties in the country built in the last century.
A few of the highlights include Maggie’s Highland Cancer Centre in Inverness, Shettleston Housing Association in Glasgow, the Bernat Klein studio near Galashiels, and the Chapel of St Albert the Great in Edinburgh.
He said: “What I really like about the list is that it goes from a tiny bothy made by an eccentric architect in the 1950s and then abandoned, right up to your big humdingers like the Scottish Parliament and corporate buildings like banks and offices, or power stations and hospitals. This is not all about posh houses for rich people.”
Mr Baxter said the Maggie’s Centre, built in 2006 by Page/Park Architects, offered patients a “peaceful place” to rest, with a sculptural exterior and welcoming “snail-like” circular layout inside.
Shettleston Housing Association office is “part-renovation and part-new build” and has been recognised because of the roof garden created by Elder and Cannon Architects when they added an extension to the former Co-op in 2010.
“Internally it flows from one building into the next, but the roof garden creates something special that is very respectful of a historic building,” said Mr Baxter.
The Bernat Klein Studio, built in 1972 and located on a hillside in woodland near Galashiels, celebrates “two unsung heroes” – late fashion designer, who died in 2014, and architect Peter Wormersley. Made of concrete, glass and timber, it is entered via a bridge that takes visitors straight into the upper and “creates and romantic feel”.
Another gem is the Chapel of St Albert the Great, located in the back garden of a townhouse George Square, Edinburgh but open to the public.
Owned by the Dominican Order of the Catholic Church, it was designed in 2013 by Simpson and Brown Architects and constructed from wood and glass.
The full list, which features buildings from 1916 right up to the present day, has been compiled by RIAS to mark the 100th birthday of RIAS and Scotland’s festival of architecture 2016.
Among the more unusual buildings on the list are Bank of Scotland and Royal Bank of Scotland branches in Glasgow, Bon Accord Baths in Aberdeen and Tongland Power Station in Kirkcudbright, along with more prominent architectural sights including the arches at the City Chambers in Glasgow, the Scottish Parliament building and Stirling University.
The public now has the chance to vote for their favourite building as part of the 2016 Festival of Architecture, the cornerstone of Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
Mr Baxter added that many of the buildings are used by people in their day to day lives, perhaps without them noticing their architectural value.
He said: “It really highlights some of the great architecture of the last century and will hopefully engage people and get them more interested in looking at the buildings around them.”
The Top 100:
Suffolk Road Halls of Residence, Edinburgh, 1916 – by Alan K Robertson
Rosyth Garden City, Rosyth, 1916 – by A H Mottram
Cour House, Kintyre in Argyll, 1920 – by Oliver Hill
Craigtoun Park, Islet, Dutch Village; St Andrews, 1920 – by Paul Waterhouse
Arches at City Chambers, Glasgow, 1923 – by Watson, Salmond and Gray
Zoology Building, Glasgow University, 1923 – by John J Burnet
9 George Square, Glasgow, 1924 – by James Miller
Bandstand and Amphitheatre, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, 1924 – by James Miller
Winter Gardens, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, 1924 – by Alexander Stephen
War Memorial and Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen, 1925 – by A Marshall Mackenzie and A G R Mackenzie
Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, 1927 – by Sir Robert Lorimer
Bank of Scotland, 110-120 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, 1927 – by James Miller
North British and Mercantile Building, 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, 1929 – by Sir John James Burnet with Norman A Dick
St Conan’s Church, Lochawe, Argyll, 1930 – by Walter Douglas Campbell
India Tyre and Rubber Factory, Greenock Road, Inchinnan, 1930 – by Wallis Gilbert
Scottish Legal Life Assurance Offices, 81-107 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, 1931 – by E. G Wylie
St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, 21-23 Whitevale Street, Glasgow, 1933 – by Jack Coia
The Lane House, 46a Dick Place, Edinburgh, 1933 – by William Kininmonth and Basil Spence
Tongland Power Station, Kirkcudbright, 1934 – by Alexander Gibb and Partners
Royal Bank of Scotland, 30 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, 1935 – by James Miller
Daily Express Building, 159-195 Albion Street, Glasgow, 1936 – by E Owen Williams
Bon Accord Baths, Aberdeen, 1937 – by Alexander Robbie
St Cuthbert’s Co-operative Association, Edinburgh, 1937 – by T Waller Marwick
St Columba of Iona RC Church, Glasgow, 1937 – Jack Coia
Luma Light Factory, Glasgow, 1938 – by Cornelius Armour
Rothesay Pavilion, Rothesay, 1938 – James Carrick
St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, 1939 – Thomas S Tait
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, 1939 – John McKissack
Reading Room, University Avenue, Glasgow, 1939 – T Harold Hughes & D S R Waugh
St Mary’s Church, King Street, Aberdeen, 1939 – A G R MacKenzie
Timex Factory, Dundee, 1948 – by Bennet, Beard and Wilkins
New Taybank Mill, Dundee, 1949 – by Kenneth Masson
Wills Tobacco Factory, Glasgow, 1949 – by Wills Engineering Department
Hermit’s Castle, Achmelvich, Loch Inver, Sutherland, 1950 – by David Scott
Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, 1951 – by J L Gleave
Fishermen’s Houses, Dunbar, 1952 – by Basil Spence and Partners
Extensions, Natural Philosophy Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, 1953 – by Basil Spence and Partners
Sighthill Health Centre, Edinburgh, 1953 – by R Gardner-Medwin
Kilsyth Academy, 1954 – by Basil Spence
National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1955 – by Reginald Fairlie (completed by A R Conlon)
Town House, Kirkcaldy, 1956 – David Carr
St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, Glenrothes, 1956 – by Andy MacMillan and Isi Metzstein
High Sunderland, Galashiels, 1957 – Peter Womersley
Avisfield, Edinburgh, 1958 – by Morris and Steedman
Silitto Residence, Edinburgh, 1959 – by Morris and Steedman
Seafar 2 Housing, Cumbernauld, 1963 – by Hugh Wilson, Dudley Roberts (Project leader), Roy Hunter
Nuffield Transplantation Surgery Unit, Edinburgh , 1963 – Peter Womersley
Gala Fairydean Stand, Galashiels , 1963 – Peter Womersley
Glasgow College of Building and Printing, Glasgow, 1964 – Wylie Shanks and Underwood
St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Kilsyth, 1965 – by Andy MacMillan and Isi Metzstein
St Peter’s College, Cardross, 1966 – by Andy MacMillan and Isi Metzstein
Department of Architecture and Building Science, Strathclyde University, 1967 – by Frank Fielden and Associates
Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh, 1967 – by Sir Basil Spence, Glover and Ferguson
Dollan Aqua Centre, East Kilbride, 1968 – by Alexander Buchanan Campbell
Andrew Melville Hall, St Andrews University, 1968 – by James Stirling
BOAC Building, Glasgow, 1970 – by Andy MacMillan and Isi Metzstein
Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh, 1970 – by John Richards
Bernat Klein Studio, High Sunderland, Galashiels , 1972 – by Peter Womersley
Phase III Housing, Woodside Development Area A, Glasgow, 1974 – by Boswell Mitchell & Johnson
Stirling University, Bridge of Allan, 1974 – by John Richards
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, 1976 – by Law and Dunbar-Nasmith
Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society Headquarters, Glasgow, 1976 – by King, Main and Ellison
St John Ogilvie Church, Irvine, 1979 – by Clunie Rowell with Douglas Niven and Gerry Connolly
Cummins Engine Factory, Shotts, 1980 – by Ahrends, Burton and Koralek
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, 1981 – by Law & Dunbar-Nasmith Partnership
Dundee Repertory Theatre, 1982 – by Nicoll Russell Studios
The Burrell Collection, Glasgow, 1983 – by Barry Gasson, Brit Andresen and John Meunier
Ingram Square, Glasgow, 1984 – by Elder and Cannon Architects
Caley House, Kilwinning, 1984 – by Irvine Development Corporation
Babbity Bowsters, Glasgow, 1985 – by Groves-Raines Architects
Brunswick Hotel, Glasgow, 1986 – Elder and Cannon Architects
Grianan Building, Dundee, 1986 – by Nicoll Russell Studios
Princes Square, Glasgow, 1987 – by Hugh Martin & Partners
National Library of Scotland Annexe, Edinburgh, 1987 – by Andrew Merrylees Associates
General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Headquarters, Perth – by James Parr & Partners
Carrick Quay, Glasgow, 1989 – by Davis Duncan Partnership
The Italian Centre, Glasgow, 1991 – by Page \ Park Architects
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, 1993 – by Richard Murphy Architects
Challenge House, Glasgow, 1993 – by McNeish Design Partnership
178-180 Ingram Street, Glasgow Page, 1994 – by \ Park Architects
Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1998 – by Benson + Forsyth
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee, 1999 – by Richard Murphy Architects
Homes for the Future: The Green, Glasgow, 1999 – by Elder and Cannon Architects
Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, 1999 – by Malcolm Fraser Architects
The Lighthouse, Glasgow, 1999 – by Page \ Park Architects
Tramway, Glasgow, 2000 – Zoo Architects
Mount Stuart Visitors Centre, Isle of Bute, 2001 – by Munkenbeck + Marshall
National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride, 2001 – by Page \ Park Architects
Clavius Building, St Aloysius College, Glasgow, 2003 – by Elder and Cannon Architects
The Scottish Parliament Canongate, Edinburgh, 2004
Maggie’s Centre, Inverness, 2006 – Page \ Park Architects
Pier Arts Centre, Orkney, 2007 – by Reiach and Hall Architects
John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 2009 – by Cullinan Studio
Shettleston Housing Association Offices, Glasgow, 2010 – by Elder and Cannon Architects
The Houl, Castle Douglas, 2011 – by Simon Winstanley Architects
The Chapel of St Albert the Great, Edinburgh, 2013 – by Simpson and Brown Architects
2013 House No. 7, Tiree, 2013 – by Denizen Works
The Turf House, Isle of Skye, 2013 – by Rural Design
Maggie’s Centre, Airdrie, 2014 – by Reiach and Hall Architects
Laurieston Transformational Area, Glasgow, 2015 – by Elder and Cannon Architects, Page \ Park Architects
Source: heraldscotland