They have been successfully held 3 times over the past 10 years, the most recent being in 2015. The Awards were launched in 2020 however were postponed due to Covid. Any entries received during the 2020 entry period have been kept on file and will automatically be re-entered into the 2022/23 Awards.
The closing date for entries was 20th January 2023.
What projects are eligible?
The awards will recognise work that was carried out or completed during the period from 1st July 2015 to 31st December 2022. Entrants should make clear when the work referred to in their entry commenced and was finished. If a submission is part of a phased development, it is recommended that all phases are completed prior to submitting an entry.
Who can enter?
Anyone can enter the Argyll and Bute Sustainable Design Awards. This includes rented social landlords, consultants, agents, private building owners, community groups, developers, public agencies and voluntary organisations.
Entry categories, eligibility and judging criteria
Entry categories
The categories represent different ways in which good design can be interpreted or be successful. Each category is open to residential, commercial, community etc., and also to renovations.
A project may be entered into more than one category as long as it meets the criteria for each. A separate application must be done for each as the focus of the supporting statement will differ.
- Sustainable design - this category is not concerned with the appearance of a project but with its credentials in terms of carbon neutral design. This is an important consideration given the prominence of the Climate Change Act. This could include refurbishments where the consideration is reuse of materials / avoidance of embodied energy in the production of new ones.
- Aesthetic design – this category is about how a finished project looks, not only within its own right but how well it responds to its context. The supporting statement should discuss detail design and materials as well as details of the design’s wider concept.
- Community Led Regeneration Project – this category aims to recognise the importance of communities in Planning and is suitable for projects which have community involvement at any stage through the process, from fundraising to site acquisition to design or build involvement to end use. The supporting statement should detail the community involvement and benefit as well as details of the design.
- Built Heritage - this category includes renovations in a completely traditional style as well as contemporary interventions. As long as some historic fabric is being retained as part of the project it will be eligible for this category. A heritage asset does not require to be Listed or within a Conservation Area. The supporting statement should include as much information as is relevant about the history of the building as well as details of the new design elements.
- Design for under £100k – this category aims to demonstrate that a large budget is not necessary to achieve good design. The £100k budget is for build cost only, excluding site acquisition costs, and could include low cost innovative self- builds or other small scale projects such as ancillary buildings. The supporting statement must include a breakdown of the costs.
Judging
The awards will be judged by a panel comprising Elected Members and Council Officers.
Judges who have a connection with any entry will not be allowed to vote on that entry or lobby the other judges on its behalf.
As well as their being an Award offered for each category determined by the judging panel, there will be two additional Awards (which may or may not be offered to a project winning a category Award) – these are the People’s Choice Award and the Members Award. Entries shortlisted by the judging panel will be displayed on the website for online voting of a People’s Choice Award by the general public, and presented to Planning, Protective Services and Licensing (PPSL) Committee Members in autumn 2020 for a Members Award.
Awards process
The Awards process starts in October 2022 and is expected to be completed with a presentation of Awards in autumn 2023.
Stage 1 – Deciding whether to enter
Discuss any projects which could be entered into the Awards with your colleagues, clients or architects/agents. The scale of the project is not an issue (other than in the Design for under £100k category) as the quality of the proposal will be the main area of consideration.
Stage 2 – Entering
If you decide to enter, allocate sufficient time to prepare the application form(s). You have until the closing date on 20th January 2023 to complete this.
Your entry must consist of two parts:
- Part 1 – Completed application form
- Part 2 – Four high quality photographs representative of the project. Photographs of shortlisted entries will be displayed online for the People’s Choice Award; presented to Elected Members; and displayed at the Awards ceremony. The Council may also choose to use any submitted image for the purposes of publicity surrounding this or any future Argyll and Bute design award competitions and within any documents or materials relating to the Local Development Plan.
- Note - The submission should only comprise of the completed application form and images. Any other supporting material will not be accepted.
You are asked that whilst ensuring your statements for each criteria fully support your proposal they remain focused and succinct.
You may enter the competition by filling out application form and emailing the application form and four photographs to kim.debuiteleir@argyll-bute.gov.uk . Please ensure that the total size of your attachments does not exceed 20MB.
Failure to comply with the requests on the application form could result in your submission being invalid.
Stage 3 – Judges’ shortlisting
Anticipated to take place during February 2023
Stage 4 – Site visits
Anticipated to take place after shortlisting during April 2023. Any entries shortlisted for a site visit will be notified by email or by post. The date of the site visit will be fixed and it will be for the applicant or their appointed representative to ensure that the development is available to view both inside and out. Unfortunately it will not be possible to re-arrange viewing days, If the property is unavailable for viewing on that day then it will be discounted from the process.
Stage 5 – The Judges’ final selection process
On completion of the site visits, the Judges will finalise their recommendations on the winning entries which will be put before members of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing (PPSL) Committee. Additionally, an online People’s Choice Award will be voted for by the general public, and a Members Choice Award will be voted for by Elected Members of the PPSL Committee.
Contact details
If you need to discuss any details about the Awards please contact Kim de Buiteléir, Design and Conservation Officer:
Phone: 01546 604126
Email: kim.debuiteleir@argyll-bute.gov.uk