The Scottish Government

Listen

Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003 - Urban Design Award for Planning Students: Report of the Judges Presented by the Scottish Executive in association with The Lighthouse This document is also available in pdf format (440k)

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, which is delivered by The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design and the City. 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.

In the second year of the Award, a total of nine entries were received. Nominations were made from the Universities of Heriot-Watt, Dundee, Strathclyde and a Joint Distance Learning Consortium. The Judges, however, were disappointed, that again, there were no entries from the University of Aberdeen. The Judges viewed each applicant's coursework in association with their A2 entry board. The Judges awarded 1 Special Commendation and 1 Commendation. The Judges' comments on the winning entries are summarised below:

Winning entries

Special Commendation

1. Reinvigorating Peterhead

Nominee: Joint Distance Learning Planning Schools Consortium, c/o The University of Dundee

Entrant: Nick Brown (1st year)

Judges' comments

The Judges have given this project a Special Commendation because it is an excellent piece of work. The Judges were impressed with the effort taken by the student to understand the context, and develop a well thought out solution that incorporated important urban design principles. The result has been sensitively designed, with attention paid to the traditional building form. The A2 display board is well presented, clear and easy to interpret.

Commendation

2. Dundee City Centre - Townscape Analysis

Nominee: The University of Dundee

Entrant: Margaret Walker (1st year)

Judges' comments

The Judges thought that this piece of work had been very well researched. The Judges were impressed with the time and effort which had been taken to analyse the area in the depth. It was clearly evident that the student had gained a very thorough understanding of townscape analysis and design. Care had been taken to present the work in a simple, but clear and effective format.

Other entries

The Judges were grateful for the other entries. Although these did not merit an award, many of them were good examples of positive work. The Judges wish all the students every success in the future.

3. Blackness Area Development Strategy
Nominee: The University of Dundee
Entrant: Neil Williamson (3rd year)

4. Blackness Area Development Strategy
Nominee: The University of Dundee
Entrant: David Doogan (3rd year)

5. Napier University Site - Urban Design Project
Nominee: Heriot-Watt University
Entrant: David Marwick and Alex Munro (4th year)

6. Napier University Site - Urban Design Project
Nominee: Heriot-Watt University
Entrant: Michael Barton, Scott Dalgarno & Peter Mail (4th year)

7. The Potential Role of Urban Design in the Implementation of Environmental Sustainability - Dissertation
Nominee: University of Strathclyde
Entrant: Barry McFeat (4th year)

8. Redevelopment of Saltmarket and Glasgow Green
Nominee: University of Strathclyde
Entrant: Barry McFeat (4th year)

9. Redevelopment of Saltmarket Area
Nominee: University of Strathclyde
Entrant: Alisdair Warnock (4th year)