The Standard strikes gold at Scottish Design Awards

The transformation of a formerly abandoned site in Dumfries town centre has picked up a top design accolade.

ARPL Architects was presented with a Gold Award in the affordable homes category of the Scottish Design Awards for its work on Midsteeple Quarter’s The Standard development.

Judges heard how the community-owned-and-led scheme “delivers well considered, active spaces based on the model of community ownership”.

The prize was collected by ARPL’s Gordon Fleming, who has worked with Midsteeple Quarter for seven years on its ambition to breathe new life into Dumfries High Street, at a ceremony in Glasgow.

While the lower floors of The Standard are enterprise and community spaces, the upper floors are home to seven flats, leased at mid-market rate. The first residents moved in last year.

It is this type of mixed-use development - creating a new neighbourhood encouraging people to live in the town centre, as well as working and visiting it - which will be key to  unlocking a better future.

Gordon said: “It is very special for us to  receive this recognition of the design ideas which underpin the Midsteeple project. Town centre regeneration is a demanding subject and it is important that the community-led approach from Midsteeple has been judged such a success.”

The completion of The Standard has been a milestone for Midsteeple Quarter. It hopes that the site will be an exemplar of what can be achieved through community ownership as it continues work on its long-term plan to develop the five other buildings it has taken into community ownership.

Robert Richmond, Chair of Midsteeple Quarter, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the collective effort which has turned the vision for The Standard into reality - and delighted to see ARPL’s work recognised in this way on the national stage.

“We want to continue bringing high-quality new homes to the town centre, meeting demand which we know exists while regenerating the High Street. There’s so much more that we are looking forward to doing.”

Standard Close, looking towards High Street from Irish Street. Picture: ARPL Architects

Scottish Design Awards judges described The Standard as "an incredible project". 

They were impressed by the overall makeup of The Standard, including its impressive High Street frontage and rejuvenation of Standard Close, with its sequence of stone-carved letters set into the facade and cut into the entrance gate, each in a different printer’s font - paying tribute to the site’s historic former use as home of the Dumfries & Galloway Standard newspaper.

Judges were told: “Rising above the working and community spaces a range of new residential flats and duplexes create a landmark tower, highlighted by the copper clad living spaces, and benefitting from a southerly aspect and views over the town centre rooftops.

“The flats enjoy south or west facing living spaces each with a private balcony. These balconies are set around the open space above the link block with extensive container planting and a living wall , offering a positive relationship between the residents.

“The building enjoys a low energy/ low carbon strategy with high levels of insulation for all elements, low carbon heat pumps, MVHR, PV panels and reduced embodied carbon structures.”