DIA Awards: Showcasing the best new architecture in Tayside and Fife

The best extensions, new builds, renovations, restorations and more will be celebrated at the Dundee Institute of Architects Awards this week. But which project will take home the Supreme Award?

By Jack McKeown

November 14 2023, 5:15pm

The Dundee Institute of Architects Awards takes place on Thursday.

The best new architecture in Tayside and Fife will be revealed this week.

The annual Dundee Institute of Architects Awards takes place at the Invercase Hotel on Thursday evening. More than 200 architects from across the region will be at the black tie event, all hoping their project wins an award.

Among the categories contested are Best New House, Best Small Project Under £250,000, Best Use of Timber, Best Use of Stone, Best Interior Design, and Best Group of Housing.

The awards were decided by a three person panel of judges: Jenni Shanks from Dundee University’s School of Architecture, Aberdeen Institute of Architects president Richard Slater, and The Courier’s property writer Jack McKeown.

Exceptional projects

Among the properties entered into this year’s awards are an extended lodge house near Markinch; bespoke holiday cabins in the Carse of Gowrie; an imposing new build home in Wormit, a converted former primary school in Dundee; and a low-carbon home outside Liff.

A beautiful oak extension in Ceres is among the projects entered in the DIA Awards. Image: DIA.

The views from this St Andrews garden room are exceptional. Image: DIA.

This house in Wormit has an amazing outlook over the Tay. Image: DIA.

Will this exciting Dundee house make it off the drawing board and into reality? Image: DIA.

The judges visited almost 20 shortlisted properties in Dundee, Angus, Fife and Perthshire. They explored each one and interviewed architects and clients about the conception, design, build and end result of their project.

The Courier’s property writer and DIA judge Jack McKeown said: “Being a DIA Awards judge is a privilege and visiting the shortlisted projects is always a highlight of my year.

“This year was no different, with lots and lots of superb properties making the judges’ decisions very difficult indeed.

“One of the joys of being a DIA judge is delving up a quiet side street, country lane, or a farm track and exploring a wonderful extension, renovation or new build home.

“It makes you realise just how many talented architects there are in Tayside and Fife.”

Previous DIA Award winners

Last year’s Supreme Award winner was Rescobie Pavilion, a beautiful garden room overlooking a loch near Forfar.

Previous DIA Supreme Award winners include the Larick Centre in Tayport; Ladies Lake, a stunning clifftop home in St Andrews; Monifieth Parish Church; and V&A Dundee.

This garden room near Forfar was last year’s Supreme Award winner. Image: DIA.

Tayport’s Larick Centre won the 2021 Supreme Award. Image: DIA.

Monifieth’s new Parish Church won the Supreme Award in 2019.

Ladies Lake in St Andrews was the Supreme Award winner in 2016. Image: DIA.

Dundee Institute of Architects president Fíona Canavan said: “I’m looking forward to an exciting evening, a celebration of the best new architecture in the DIA area.

“As usual, we’ve had a wide range of fantastic entries which showcase the depth of talent the region has to offer.”

Don’t miss Friday’s Courier for full results of all the DIA Awards winners.