Judges revealed yesterday that they were impressed by the “high quality” of entries to the Cairngorms National Park Design Awards.
They praised the standards as they unveiled the list of winners.
Taking the top prize this year was a new-build property, Strathdon House in Strathdon, by Brown + Brown Architects.
The overall runner-up was an extension to a residential property, Tigh an Uillt in Nethybridge, entered by Sean and Lara Langmuir.
The judges favoured Strathdon House because of its compelling, simple design and described the extension to Tigh an Uillt as a “lovingly created elegant space”.
However, it was not just residential properties that were the centre of attention, with Corndavon Bridge over the River Gairn in Deeside winning the infrastructure category.
Am Fasgadh at Newtonmore, which houses the main collection of the Highland Folk Museum, won the place-making category, which judges considered to be simple, restrained and well thought out.
Andrew Wright OBE, one of the judges, said: “We were impressed with the high quality of the entries across the categories, and the enthusiasm of those who had prepared them.
“Arriving at decisions as to which of the projects merited awards was challenging, and at the end of the exercise we were left with the firm impression that design standards were rising within the boundaries of the National Park and that the awards scheme had been successful in promoting the value of good design – not only to those who benefited from it directly, but to the wider community.”
Celebrating Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, the 2016 Cairngorms National Park Design Awards aimed to recognise exceptional standards of design and craftsmanship in the park.
Residential New Build
Winner: Strathdon House
Commendations: Tigh Beag, Nethybridge.
Residential Extensions and Refurbishments Winner: Tigh an Uillt, Nethy Bridge.
Commendations: Coldrach, Crathie and the Former Schoolhouse at Braemar.
Commercial
Winner: Russwood Offices, Newtonmore
Commendations: Cromdale Station and Invertromie Steading at Kingussie.
Infrastructure
Winner: Corndavon Bridge, in Deeside.
Commendations: Kingussie Community Hydro.
Place-Making
Winner: Am Fasgadh at the Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore.
Commendations: Milton Burn housing development in Aviemore and the Glenlivet Bike Trails, as well as a special group commendation for Corrour Bothy, Bob Scott’s Bothy and the Hutchison Memorial Hut.