Architecture Design Scotland News, Developments, Scottish Executive
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Scottish Building NewsA+DS School Design 4 Nov 2009 Architecture and Design Scotland has launched its new school design web resource Smarter Places. This unique resource has been designed to deliver a simple objective; to provide everyone who wants to participate in school design with the means to explore and share their ideas. Keith Brown, Minister for Schools and Skills, said: "The Smarter Places web resource will allow all those who wish to participate in designing Scotland's future schools to now have the opportunity to explore school design and communicate their ideas. "This new tool is entirely consistent with the importance that the Scottish Government has placed on good design and consultation in our School Estate Strategy - Building Better Schools. "By using images, videos and downloads, all those with an interest in good school design - be that young people, teachers, planners, architects or parents - can now access many interesting examples from schools across Scotland." A spokesman for A+DS said: "Getting feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and the wider community when designing a school can be vital; not least because they can have exceptional ideas. Smarter Places allows users to create a scrapbook of different elements of a school that they like. This scrapbook can then be shared with others in a variety of ways, giving people the opportunity to evolve and communicate their ideas about the sort of school they want to see." The launch of Smarter Places was hosted by the University of Edinburgh Architecture department as part of a joint event that also marks the publication of a book by Fiona McLachlan and Rachael Hallett "Thinking, Teaching, Learning: Explorations in Primary School Design". www.smarterplaces.org Architecture and Design Scotland - PR 30 Mar 2007: Scotland and the Netherlands : Landscape Architecture Think Tank Leading practitioners in landscape architecture and design from Scotland and the Netherlands will come together for a two day think tank this weekend (Friday 30th and Saturday 31st March 2007) to explore the themes, issues and challenges which face natural landscapes in the two countries. With both countries facing pressures on their natural areas, this think tank entitled ‘Panorama’ is an opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and responses to landscape, development pressures, conservation and tourism. Fifty eight delegates will attend the two day event in Glasgow which includes discussion around current policy and practice, the historical context and challenges for the future with contributions from leading practitioners and experts from both countries. The second day of the think tank will give delegates the opportunity put their discussions into context with a trip to the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Speaking before the event Brian Evans, Deputy Chair of A+DS, who is co-chairing the event said- “This event brings together leaders in policy, design and research from the Netherlands and Scotland for an important opportunity to learn from each other and reflect on future challenges facing the environment and landscapes of northern Europe. “The Dutch are renowned internationally for quality and innovation in landscape planning and design and although the natural landscapes of Scotland and the Netherlands are very different I believe we can learn a lot from one another. We are delighted to welcome our colleagues to Scotland for these two days to share experience, develop knowledge and examine issues.” The Panorama Scotland / Netherlands think tank will take place on 30 + 31 March at the Lighthouse in Glasgow and on location at the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The event is co-organised by Architecture and Design Scotland, the Architecture Policy Unit of the Scottish Executive and Architectuur Lokaal– the lead architecture body in the Netherlands - with additional support from the Dutch Embassy, Ministries of Culture and Economic Affairs in the Netherlands A report summarising the debate and discussion will be produced following the think tank. News Update – Feb 2007 In the same week as the Architecture Policy update was launched the A+DS deputy, Malcolm Fraser, resigns his position following unease with A+DS’s lack of criticism of the Scottish Executive’s PFI policy for schools, hospitals, etc. Link: Scottish PFI Historic Scottish Houses Scottish Architects Architecture and Design Scotland - PR From April this year Architecture and Design Scotland will become Scotland's new champion for good architecture, design and planning in the built environment. A key part of A+DS's work will be to demand excellence in development from housing estates to major cultural buildings and in all parts of the country. The aim is to raise the quality of new development, so that high standards of layout and design are the rule, not the exception. Overall, the development of well designed and attractive cities, towns and villages will support Ministers' determination to make Scotland a better place to live, work and visit. Urban Design: time to Take Stock takes place at The Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, the National Galleries of Scotland Edinburgh on Feb 24 RIAS 0131 229 7545 FERGUSON HAS DESIGNS ON QUALITY ARCHITECTURE Details of the team which will take forward the Executive's ambitious plans to make Scotland an outstanding place to visit, work and live by enhancing the quality of our natural and built heritage, will be announced today by Patricia Ferguson. And the Minister will call on Scotland's new architecture body - Architecture and Design Scotland - to champion the importance of good design and reinforce the value of creating quality spaces for everyone. Speaking ahead of the 'Urban Design: Time to Take Stock' Conference at The National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh, the Minister, who has responsibility for architecture policy, said: 'Promoting excellence in architecture and creating more opportunities for good quality developments which respect the Scotland's landscape and building tradition are key to realising our ambitions. 'Better design can help create a better environment for us all to enjoy - be it the worker, the resident, or the visitor. And central to this is ensuring that good design runs through all that we do when designing and developing our built environment. This ensures improvement in the spaces around us and raises the quality of life for everyone in the community. 'I believe places that flourish are those that have a distinct character, are safe, accessible and pleasant for people to enjoy, that are welcoming to occupants and visitors alike, can adapt to change, and that promote sustainability of resources. These are key tenets of the Executive's policy on how we should progress in designing our environment and building communities for the future. 'I'm delighted that we are announcing today the Advisory Board and the Chief Executive - the remaining members of the team who will be championing this cause - supporting and reinforcing the desire for design quality. Architecture and Design Scotland will, as of 1st April, be playing a key part in driving forward the Executive's plans. I look forward to working with this team in the coming months in realising our architecture and design policy ambitions for Scotland." |
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