The candidates for this year's Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) best building award - worth £25,000 and the largest prize of its kind in the UK - have been revealed.

The nominations are varied and include a cancer centre and even a boathouse - just two of the total of 11 shortlisted projects for the most prestigious architecture prize in Scotland.

The Beatson Institute's Cancer Research Centre in Glasgow, and the new boathouse at Balnearn, are each looking to be the winner of the award which will be announced at the Scottish Parliament on 20 November.


A whopping seven of the 11 shortlisted projects are from Glasgow, covering the new Stobhill Hospital, a North Glasgow College building, a small animal hospital, The Printworks, Trongate 103 and even social housing at Moore Street.

Three projects in Edinburgh are also in the frame - Hotel Missoni, Infirmary Street Baths and Niddrie Mill and St Francis Joint Primary School.

RIAS President, David Dunbar, who is part of the judging panel, told the BBC today that this year's submissions were of "superb quality".

"Scotland is enjoying a creative renaissance and that is undoubtedly true of its architecture," he said.

"This year's entries range throughout the length and breadth of Scotland and our shortlist reflects the high standards which are being achieved in every contemporary building type and in restoration.

"Selecting just one winner will challenge our judging panel, all of whom will be visiting all of the shortlisted schemes."

(BMcC/KMcA)