Huge response to Scottish house design competition
Well over 100 entries have been received for a pioneering competition that aims to set new standards in Scottish housing design. Registrations for the Highland Housing Fair housing design contest flooded in as Wednesday’s deadline approached. An expert judging panel now faces the difficult task of selecting the best designs to be built on 27 plots at a specially planned development on the outskirts of Inverness. Many of the entrants have registered for more than one plot, intensifying the competition.
The first event of its kind in Scotland, the fair aims to raise the bar in innovative, environmentally friendly housing design. After forming the centrepiece of a month-long exhibition, expected to attract thousands of visitors, many of the unique homes will be sold or rented.
The design competition, launched at the start of February and run by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) attracted interest from as far afield as California and Japan. According to the RIAS, the majority of entries came from the North of Scotland and the Central Belt. Among those vying for plots are award-winning architectural practices, leading building companies and major property developers.
Highland Housing Fair co-ordinator Fiona Porteous said: “We are absolutely delighted by the response to the design competition. It is the first time an event like this has been held in Scotland and we honestly did not know what to expect. We are particularly pleased with the diversity of entrants, ranging from sole practitioner architects to major property developers. The level of interest shows just how seriously the need for innovative and sustainable design to raise the standards of Scotland’s built environment is being taken by architects, designers, developers and builders.”
Entries will be judged by an independent jury of architects and design professionals, along with a representative of the Highland Housing Fair Steering Group.
The winners will be announced in June and an exhibition of entries will be held in Inverness as part of the RAIS Convention, the Six Cities Design Festival and the Year of Highland Culture. Competition winners will build their designs on a 5.5 hectare site at Balvonie, on the southern outskirts of the Highland Capital. In the summer of 2009 the 53 completed homes built on the 27 plots will form the focal point of the Highland Housing Fair exhibition. A quarter of the units on the fair site have been designated for affordable housing.
The Fair is supported by a consortium of agencies, including: The Highland Council; The Scottish Executive; Highlands and Islands Enterprise; The Forestry Commission; Inverness City Partnership; SUST: The Lighthouse on Sustainability; Six Cities Design Festival; The Royal Incorporation of Architects of Scotland and Inverness Architectural Association.
Ends