RIAS/CFI Timber Award

The RIAS & CTI Timber Award encourages the innovative and creative use of timber in new buildings in Scotland, promoting the use of homegrown timber, with added consideration given to thoughtful and appropriate use of different species.

Technical competence is paramount and the design and detail of how the timber is used will be as much a part of the assessment criteria as imagination and overall architectural excellence. There is no restriction on the building type or scale of the project – from small to large and from domestic to commercial, the challenge is to show how suited the use of timber is to the development of new architecture in Scotland.

Previous Winners

2026

Ioram by Baillie Baillie

Iorram stands out for its innate understanding of and appreciation for materiality. Locally sourced, Highland-grown Douglas Fir is used extensively - not just as a surface material, but as an integral part of the design, structure, and expression of the building. Every junction and timber beam has been meticulously considered and exactly placed, producing interiors that feel alive, tactile, and deeply intentional. Rather than selecting a material palette based on perfection, the practice enjoyed embracing locally-grown timber in a way that is honest, where a crack along the grain or a knot adds to its character as a natural material and the whole home’s deep connection to its setting.

2025

Aldourie Castle, Loch Ness by Ptolemy Dean Architects

This five-year project involved the conservation of the Category A-listed Aldourie Castle alongside the restoration of surrounding estate buildings and the design of new ones – including an energy centre, a boathouse and a pedestrian bridge. Traditional materials and craft building skills were employed throughout, including locally sourced and sustainable materials such as estate-grown timber. The judges said that “in terms of execution, the conservation, restoration and new work have been completed to an exemplary level.

2024

Simon Square, Edinburgh by Fraser/Livingstone

This modest housing development unlocks the potential of an old builder’s yard, successfully fitting into the tight and eclectic urban grain of Edinburgh’s Southside. Its structural framing is formed from Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) which, for the first time in Scottish tenement development, has been left exposed. This helps to create a building with an internal calmness and natural feel, setting a new benchmark for tenement design.

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