Eildon News

SBC Design Awards 2011

Eildon success at SBC Design Awards 2011

Eildon Housing Association collected an award and two commendations at the Scottish Borders Design Awards ceremony  on Saturday 12 November. Eildon took top spot in the Design Award for 'Urban New Build' for the mixed tenure development at Laidlaw Court, Galashiels. Commendations were received in the 'Placemaking' category for the 8 house development at Yarrowford near Selkirk and also in the 'Work to Existing Building' category for the Association's new head office at The Weaving Shed in Selkirk.

The Judges commented:

Laidlaw Court, Galashiels  (Design Award for Urban New Build)

The development has created a positive contribution to the townscape of central Galashiels. The panel compared the southern gable of the building to the brow of a ship and noted the scheme provided 54 flats. The building is carefully broken down in scale by use of contrasting external colours and use of balconies along the riverside path.

11-18, Yarrowford, Yarrowford (Commendation for Placemaking)

The buildings themselves took account of the local context, both in terms of response to the existing adjacent housing and the rural setting. The arrangement of the new development creates a central court with a sense of place.

The Weaving Shed, Ettrick Mill, Selkirk (Commendation for Work to an Existing Building)

The transformation of the former weaving shed from 'the largest doocot in the Borders' to a new headquarters for the Eildon Group is a sensitive mixture of repairs and modern intervention. The panel particularly liked the internal arrangement of offices with a mixture of formal and informal space with built in flexibility. The completion of these offices compliments the considerable investment already carried out to other buildings at this category A listed former mill complex.

Laurence Cox, Eildon's Director of Technical Services, said:

"The Association was delighted to receive the awards and commendations and this reflects Eildon's long and ongoing commitment to providing high quality, well designed properties throughout the Scottish Borders. This success was achieved through strong partnership working with Scottish Borders Council and The Scottish Government who part funded the housing projects and also the teamwork of staff, design teams and contractors all of whom had contributed to successful delivery of these projects."