V&A Dundee has won a Civic Trust award for its “stunning” design and major impact on the city.
The design museum, dubbed a “modern icon”, was one of seven city buildings and developments completed in the last two years to win accolades and commendations.
Dundee’s new railway station concourse, hotel, car park and cycle hub, as well as Water’s Edge, were among the winners of trust awards handed out at a ceremony at Dundee University on Thursday.
Dundee Civic Trust chairman Donald Gordon said: “These are exciting times for the city but the Trust believes that integral to the city’s renaissance its buildings and environment must be of the highest quality.
“The Trust is impressed by the quality and number of the winners and hopes these will set a benchmark for future developments.”
The Civic Trust award is one in a long string of accolades that the £80 million V&A Dundee has won, including being named one of the best buildings in the UK in the Royal Institute of British Architects awards.
Architect Kengo Kuma’s creation also scooped up the tourism and leisure category prize at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors awards.
The winners were selected from a total of 24 buildings and developments.
Projects were judged on their positive contribution to the city’s built environment and urban scene and their impact on its economy, social, recreational, educational or cultural life.
Some of the factors considered in selecting the winners were the quality of design, use of materials, energy conservation and sustainability.
As well as new buildings the Trust considered projects which restored endangered historic buildings and other buildings at risk, and the removal of public eyesores.
One such restoration project was Water’s Edge, the conversion of a historic 1880’s transit shed at Victoria Dock to office space for digital, financial, insurance and start-up companies.
Meanwhile the new railway station was described as an “impressive gateway to the city”.
The Civic Trust has also gave commendations to Indigo Hotel and Staybridge Serviced Apartments on Constable Street, which is a conversion of the derelict A-listed Lower Dens Mills, and Craig-Gowan on Camphill Road, a conversion of a B-listed mansion to flats.
Riverbank on 69 Dundee Road, a new two storey house, and the Riverside Flood Protection Scheme on Riverside Drive were also commended.
Credit to The Courier and Nadia Vidinova
V&A Dundee
V&A at Dundee will be an international centre of design for Scotland. It will celebrate Scotland's historic importance in design and host major exhibitions of outstanding design, helping people understand their own and others' cultural heritage.
