IT WAS the project that was completed two years behind schedule and over the original £30m budget - but the council said it had wanted to ensure the work was "done right".
Now the project to to transform Aberdeen Art Gallery, home to one of the finest collections in the UK, has been recognised as the best building in Scotland in the prestigious Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland awards.
In what was the first significant investment since it opened in 1885, contractors aimed to turn the Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall and Remembrance Hall into a major cultural attraction which is expected to attract around 250,000 visits annually – making it one of Scotland’s most-visited galleries.
Since work began in 2015, the Schoolhill complex of buildings was completely reimagined and transformed by Hoskins Architects and exhibition designers Studioarc.
The £34.6m project for the Grade A-listed building included investment in the fabric of the buildings, new exhibition and display galleries, improved visitor facilities and an enhanced activity programme.
The gallery, which housed works by Joan Eardley, Barbara Hepworth, Samuel Peploe and Tracey Emin, re-opened to the public at the end of November, 2019, and the council said while it was over the original budget it had wanted to ensure the work was "done right".
It has now been announced as the winner of the 2021 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award by The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
It beat four other architectural projects to the award including developments involving the Bayes Centre in Edinburgh by Bennetts Associates; The Egg Shed in Ardrishaig by Oliver Chapman Architects; The Hill House Box in Helensburgh by Carmody Groarke and the Sportscotland National Sports Training Centre in Inverclyde by Reiach and Hall Architects.
RIAS said the Aberdeen Art Gallery refurbishment had "transformed one of Scotland’s leading cultural institutions, thereby demonstrating how contemporary architecture, historic building conservation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand".
"The special character and grandeur of the 19th century category A listed building has been preserved, and a dramatic copper-clad roof is among a series of striking contemporary interventions that have revitalised the gallery and its relationship with the city," the RIAS said.
The building was now "more welcoming, more sustainable, and more accessible".
The annual Doolan Award is assessed by an expert jury who look at each project’s architectural integrity, usability and context, delivery and execution, and sustainability.
All types of building are eligible for the award, which is named in memory of its founder and patron, the architect and developer Andy Doolan, who died in 2004.
The architects of the winning building receive a £10,000 cash prize and the RIAS say that makes the Doolan "one RIAS president Christina Gaiger said: “Aberdeen Art Gallery is an outstanding building and a highly deserving winner of the 2021 Doolan Award.
"Hoskins Architects have brought a piece of Scottish heritage into the 21st century with humility, skill and sensitivity. In the face of the climate emergency, how we upgrade, respect and adapt our existing building stock is absolutely crucial. In Aberdeen Art Gallery we have an outstanding example of how a public building, thanks to talented architects and far-sighted clients, exemplifies the smart re-use of an existing building, as part of a collective regenerative response to climate change.”
The gallery, designed by architect Alexander Marshall McKenzie, has seen the number of permanent galleries increased from 11 to 19, with three more hosting special exhibitions.
The number of items from the permanent collection which will be on display trebled from 370 in 2015 to 1,080.
And more than 1,000 copper panels have been installed with the addition of a new floor VisitScotland described it as "a showstopper attraction that will underpin Aberdeen's cultural renaissance".
Chris Coleman-Smith, director at Hoskins Architects, said: “The Doolan Award is the most important architectural prize in Scotland and we are thrilled that Aberdeen Art Gallery has been recognised as the best building in 2021.
"The team has done an exceptional job of subtly and sensitively restoring original features of the 19th century building and improving fabric performance, alongside confident alteration and the bold addition of new elements that enhance the visitor experience, knitting together a thread of careful conservation and the requirements of a world class, 21st century gallery.
“We’re privileged to have a talented team and exceptional client. This special award is testament to the effort and commitment from the many people involved in the design and delivery of this fantastic project throughout the years.”
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