Awards Success for Flows Lookout

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Awards took place recently, and the Flows Lookout was named as one of the eleven best buildings of the year, as well as being commended in the Special Category Wood for Good/Forestry Commission Scotland Award for the Best Use of Timber.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Peatlands Partnership was also shortlisted for the Client of the Year Award!

This success follows a recent commendation from the Edinburgh Architectural Association for the building, which was designed by Icosis architects (Edinburgh) and constructed by O’Brien Construction (Thurso).

The Flows Lookout was built as part of the Flows to the Future Project to allow visitors to enjoy magnificent views of the unique and internationally important landscape of The Flow Country.

The Chair of the Peatlands Partnership, Professor Stuart Gibb, described the award as “great news for the project and for the area” and went on to describe the Partnership’s ambition to “create something that would allow visitors and local people to immerse themselves in the landscape and really experience what is special about the Flow Country, in particular being able to view the bog pools systems that are so characteristic of it”.

Caroline Eccles, the Flows to the Future Project Manager, echoed Professor Gibb’s sentiments and offered the Project’s congratulations to Icosis on their well-deserved award, and to the local contractor, O’Brien’s Construction, for their success in building the Lookout. She said, “Designing and then erecting a structure like the tower in a peat bog is an extremely challenging assignment and Icosis and O’Brien’s managed to deliver it while keeping disturbance to this sensitive habitat to an absolute minimum.”

Euan Miller, of Icosis Architects, spoke of being “very proud of this recognition from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland” before going on to say that “it was a great pleasure to work with the Peatlands Partnership and have the opportunity of working in such an amazing area. I very much hope that the Lookout continues to be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come.”

The Flows Lookout and boardwalk were funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB Scotland and the Highland Council, as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Flows to the Future Project.