Dundee’s best new and restored buildings were celebrated in the City Chambers tonight.
The High Mill at Verdant Works took top honours as the Dundee Civic Trust awards recognised the city’s recent architectural and regeneration projects.
It was the first time the awards have been presented since 2015, due to a shortage of suitable candidates.
Dundee Civic Trust vice-chairman Jack Searle said: “For the past two years we haven’t given out any awards as there has been a real dearth of projects being completed.
“But there are now a number of buildings under way, including the V&A, at least three hotel developments and the regional performance centre for sport.
“There are a whole range of projects and things are looking up.”
Six new buildings and regeneration projects were given commendations, while the evening’s top prize, the award for outstanding contribution to the built environment of the city, was given to the High Mill.
The commended projects included the bridge linking Seabraes with the waterfront, the Leaf Garden in Ninewells Community Garden and the conversion of the former Parkview School on Blackness Road into flats.
Also receiving commendations were the refurbishment of DC Thomson and Co Ltd’s Meadowside headquarters, the new Harris Academy and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit at Dudhope House on Constitution Road.
Dundee Civic Trust vice chairman Jack Searle said the High Mill was a worthy winner of the group’s top award.
He said: “It’s an A-listed building which had fallen into a considerable state of dereliction.”
The jury said the “curved steel work” of the Seabraes bridge “creates an elegant appearance with the ramp on the norther side particularly successfully accomplished”. The panel also praised the way the new Harris Academy had incorporated features from the original building, such as the clock tower and entrance portico.
The judges said the Leaf Building at Ninewells Hospital was an “imaginative design which also seeks to provide a sustainable building appropriate to its site.”
Gill Poulter from Dundee Heritage Trust said the High Mill’s success was “fantastic news”.
“It’s just incredible. I took the judges round when they came on their visit and I got a feeling they were impressed with what we had managed to achieve,” she said.
“The result is impressive. If you think of where we started – the building was derelict and dangerous.
“To get this recognition is brilliant and it’s a testament to the hard work of our staff and volunteers and the funders.
“It really is fantastic news.”
A Leisure and Culture Dundee spokesperson said: “We are delighted that restoration of the High Mill has been recognised in this way.
“The project has really added to the cultural heritage offering in the city and we are really pleased that Leisure and Culture Dundee has been able to support the regeneration through the installation of the stunning 1801-02 Boulton and Watt steam engine.”
