AN outdoor swimming pool, a 15th century tower house and doocot, and an Arbroath arts studio are among the projects shortlisted for the 2026 RIAS Awards.
Described as the pinnacle of Scottish architecture, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has revealed the 14 projects that will compete in the national awards.
RIAS described the shortlist as ‘striking’ in its diversity in terms of scale, location, and purpose. Judges will visit a series of projects including a museum, library, and healthcare facility, and will see how several historic buildings have been given new leases of life through building conservation.
The shortlist also includes a range of private and social housing projects, while two new buildings at the University of Edinburgh demonstrate the importance of Scotland’s higher education sector in commissioning new architecture.
The 2026 RIAS Awards shortlisted projects are:
- Edinburgh Futures Institute (Edinburgh) by Bennetts Associates
- Hospitalfield Arts Studios (Arbroath, Angus) by Caruso St John Architects
- Iorram (Highlands) by Baillie Baillie Architects
- Kilmartin Museum (Kilmartin, Argyll) by Reiach and Hall Architects
- Neilston Learning Campus (East Renfrewshire) by BDP
- Paisley Central Library (Paisley, Renfrewshire) by Collective Architecture
- Parkhead Health & Social Care and Community Hub (Glasgow) by Hoskins Architects
- Preston Tower, Doocot & Gardens (East Lothian) by GRAS
- Rosslyn Castle (Midlothian) by Page\Park Architects
- St Andrew’s Drive Phases 2 & 3 (Glasgow) by jmarchitects
- Taigh na Coille (Scourie, Sutherland) by WT Architecture
- Tarlair Outdoor Pool Pavillion (Macduff, Aberdeenshire)
- The Canna House Project for the National Trust for Scotland (Isle of Canna) by LDN Architects
- Usher Building, University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh) by Hassell
The 14 projects will now each be visited by the 2026 RIAS Awards jury, which includes Elilidh Izat (director, Izat Arundell), Owen Hopkins (director, the Farrell Centre), Chris Dyson (director, Chris Dyson Architects) and Anna Liu (director, Tonkin Liu and RIBA Awards representative).
The winners will be announced at the end of May. As in previous years, the winning projects will make up the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award. Recipients of the 2026 RIAS Awards are also eligible for recognition in the current Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards.
Tamsie Thomson, chief executive of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said, “Our judges have their work cut out to select the 2026 RIAS Awards winners from such an exceptional shortlist. Visiting shortlisted projects with the judges is always one of the highlights of my year, and is a thrilling reminder of the talent and skill shown by architects in every corner of the country.
“This is certainly the first year we have had to commandeer a fishing boat to visit one of the remote island projects, so it’s notepads and sea legs at the ready as we head off to find this year’s winners.”
