A small housing development in Portobello – Havenfield Mews – has been named by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) as one of Scotland’s best new buildings.
The RIAS Awards are recognised as Scotland’s national architecture awards.
Havenfield Mews, designed by Sonia Browse Architects, is a development of three family townhouses in a new mews street in Portobello, on the site of a former church hall. The small-scale project is sympathetic to the existing style and character of the neighbourhood, and has been carefully designed as a place for people rather than for vehicles. The project prioritises a fabric first approach with careful consideration given to maximising passive heat gains. Despite the relatively constrained site, the houses are generously sized, characterful and filled with light.
Havenfield Mews is one of eight buildings in Scotland to win a RIAS Award for 2022. It now forms part of the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award – one of the most significant architecture prizes in the world – which will be announced in November. The RIAS Awards demonstrate the quality and breadth of architectural endeavour in Scotland. All types and sizes of architectural projects can win a RIAS Award, as the list of 2022 awards winners demonstrates. Buildings are assessed by an expert jury who look at each project’s architectural integrity, usability and context, delivery and execution, and sustainability.
RIAS President Christina Gaiger PRIAS said: “Once more I have been impressed and inspired by the breadth of exceptional projects to be recognised by the RIAS Awards. This year’s awards demonstrate that you can find outstanding Scottish architecture pretty much anywhere – from city centres to some of the most remote spots in the country. The awards also demonstrate the resilience of our profession – whether that is a house built by hand over many years or projects delivered during the tough times of the pandemic. This year’s awards show how Scottish architects are rising up to today’s challenges – from the climate emergency to the nation’s mental health – and prove the fundamental role that architecture plays in society.”
The jury for the 2022 RIAS Awards were Murray Kerr (founder, Denizen Works), Christina Gaiger PRIAS (President, RIAS), Audrey Carlin (CEO, Wasps Studios) and Tony Chapman (former head of awards, RIBA).
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