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Celebrate quality that is built to last
T HE Herald Property Awards for Scotland powered by Property Studios have been recognising excellence in house building for more than a decade and in that time there have been several exceptional winners for ‘Best Individual New Build and Small Development’.
It is in this category that the judges get to cast their votes for those unique projects that cause a stir, even while still under construction.
In 2019, when the Awards last took place, Carmichael Lodge, a family home in Fife was a stand-out winner amongst strong competition.
This four-bedroom house with open-plan living spaces and an en-suite bathroom in a circular turret, was built by Oakwrights, a company that blends the traditional merits of green oak building frames with large expanses of glass and a prefabricated wall and roofing system that provide high levels of insulation, helping to reduce carbon emissions
The result in the case of Carmichael Lodge, was a striking blend of glass, stone and slate that turned the restrictions of a long and tapered site, without views into the surrounding countryside, into a positive advantage.
Working with Oakwrights’ Regional Architectural Designers, Thomson Hunter Architects, the clients were able to position the house in such a way that it looked inwards onto the garden to create an intimate and welcoming space, yet still made the most of the available light in order to create bright rooms that were flooded with sunlight.
Inside the post-and-beam oak frame carved out vaulted ceilings in the double height living areas while, externally, it created an array of attractive porches.
To remain in-keeping with the local vernacular, Oakwrights’ team worked with the family to choose local materials, such as natural stone for the external wall finish and for the intricate detailing around the windows.
Iain Hendry, Oakwright’s project manager for Scotland, believes that it was the careful choice of materials, coupled with the exceptional use of space, that brought Carmichael Lodge to the attention of the Herald Property Awards for Scotland judges.
“The combinations of stone, slate, wood and glass gave the property immense character,” he says.
“The stone and oak boarding gave a strong impression, while the glass made the design look light.”
The judges clearly agreed because Carmichael Lodge was their unanimous choice as winner. Hendry says his whole team was “elated”, when the decision
was announced. “I think we were all very proud of this house anyway, but to have it recognised publicly was fantastic.”
That recognition has raised the profile of Oakwrights in Scotland and resulted in more of their exceptional new homes being built.
Every year the Herald Property Awards for
Scotland powered by Property Studios shine a powerful spotlight on good development, interesting architecture and strong design and this year, as the awards resume again after last year’s hiatus, expectations are high that they will once again reveal the best properties in the country.
What makes these awards unique is that the panel of judges, made up of seasoned industry professionals, visits every single one of the entries, no matter how remote.
It is this rigorous process of close-up scrutiny for every house, apartment and development is what makes The Herald Property Awards for Scotland the most prestigious accolades in the house building sector.
This year is no different and so developers, property professionals, architects and others involved in raising
the standard of Scotland’s housing are once again being invited to get involved by submitting the projects that they believe can stand alongside the best in the country.
The Herald Property Awards for Scotland powered by Property Studios are now open and entrants have until Thursday, 27 May to return their forms.
These, along with full details of the awards, are available at