Shortlist Nomination - Scottish Design Awards 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009 at 3:48PM Sustainable Design Category Nomination
Greig & Kathleen were really chuffed to find out that the Moray Art Centre has been shortlisted for the 2009 Scottish Design Awards - Sustainable Design Category.
"This is an amazing achievement, you should see credentials of the other designers shortlisted ...... all are major international offices ..... and here is us, AffordableTM Ltd, a small regional design practice sharing their stage."
"Of course we are going to to the Gala Dinner and the Awards Ceremony in Glasgow next month. Just to be among party is reward enough for us!"
For more details see:
http://www.ScottishDesignAwards2009
Greig Munro
So there we are - The Scottish Design Awards have come and gone. Greig & Kathleen had a great night out in the big smoke, at what turned out to be the Glasgow equivalent of the Baftas or Academy Awards. More pomp and ceremony than was really needed but ...... we enjoyed it.
The Moray Art Centre nomination was well received but unsurprisingly pipped by the £10 million Edinburgh University Campus project. Oh well - may be next time.
Please see the link below for the final display of Scotlands great and good design for 2009. And thanks to all those who voted for us and the Moray Art Centre.
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Architect couple have designs on accolade
http://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4466
A FINDHORN-based husband and wife team are celebrating after being nominated for a prestigious award for their contribution to Scottish architecture, with particular recognition for their Moray Art Centre project at Findhorn.
Chartered architects, Greig and Kathleen Munro, who run "AffordableTM Ltd" from The Sail Loft at Findhorn, said they were thrilled to be nominated for the Scottish Design Awards 2009.
They have been shortlisted in the sustainable design category for one of the buildings they designed which now serves the whole of the Moray community.
The Moray Art Centre building, which is located at The Park in Findhorn, has already been held up by many as a great model of sustainable architecture and was the first Zero-Carbon public building in Moray.
Centre director, Randy Klinger, said he was delighted that the building had helped with the couple's nomination. He said they had set out to provide inspiring services and activities to the broadest population of Moray, by offering purpose, motivation, upliftment and joy through creativity and the search for beauty.
"The building, for me, was always to be the best container possible to allow us to offer a 'community of creativity', a place in which everyone could find stimulating and fulfilling arts activities every day, all day long," he said, "from courses to international and local exhibitions, a library that everyone could use, films, talks, conferences, performance, but the building itself has attracted much appreciation."
Mr Klinger said that he saw the art centre as a resource-centre to demonstrate how to build an energy self-generating building, as well as a lovely piece of modern architecture.
Moray Art Centre was also the winner of the Moray Green Design Award 2008 and features state of the art design features and sustainable technology such as a Solar PV heating system and geo-thermal heating, which works like a fridge in reverse, drawing energy from the earth's core. It also features eco-friendly larch and lime render cladding systems, which were developed over the breathing wall and insulated timber frame.
Meantime, Greig and Kathleen said that they were absolutely chuffed to be nominated alongside some of the other "prestigious" competition.
"We are really flattered to have be selected and feel completely out-classed by the others listed," said Greig. "We have booked our tickets for the gala awards ceremony and are just looking forward to having a great night."
The couple specialise in sustainable, environmental design and energy efficient carbon neutral eco-houses and have already completed other sustainable builds elsewhere in Moray.
They are currently working on a number of sustainable housing projects and are hoping to be involved in a new community project with the creation of a new training campus for The Venture Trust at Applecross, which includes upgrading original period lodge buildings, provision of new wood fuel CHS, new offices, refectory, staff accommodation and equipment stores. This project is at an early design stage and will be the subject of future funding bids.
"We concentrate on rural design projects that are affordable by design, befitting the landscape of the Scottish Highlands," explained Greig. "As a local design practice based in Findhorn we do small, simple and regionally specific buildings. It is not really architecture with a big A."
Both Greig and Kathleen graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot Watt University. Greig completed a MSc in Computer Aided Building Design at Strathclyde University, with Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland in 1992 and became a member of the Association for Project Management in 1998.
Meantime, Kathleen, who was a winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects Certificate of Merit and the Presidents' Silver Medal and has lived in Moray for the past 18 years, has been responsible for the design of many buildings in and around the area, developing a reputation for sensitive design and place making, which is balanced with her experience in regional architecture and traditional housing forms. She also has a personal interest in ceramics, stained glass, felt making and the use of local and environmentally focused materials and is responsible for the early stage planning and development work for the company.
Greig's particular interest is the design of buildings in the Scottish rural landscape, efficient use of resources and the integration of domestic renewable energy systems. He is responsible for the technical development and construction stages and is keen to take the knowledge and experiences gained from completed low and zero-carbon projects into the design of small groups or clusters of housing and mixed use community development projects.
Far away from construction, the couple have been busy choosing their glad rags for the awards ceremony but still have more than a month to wait to find out if they have been successful, with the event being due to take place on May 29 at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow.
"We were really stoked when we heard that we had been nominated and listed for such a prestigious national award," said Greig. "Just to be there is good enough for us."