It’s incredible that Cuddymoss, our contemporary rural home in North Ayrshire, has won the Andrew Doolan Award for Best Building in Scotland 2023, becoming the first one-off house in the award’s history to receive this recognition.

This is a particularly meaningful achievement for our small studio and a wonderful recognition of the value of thoughtful, contemporary rural architecture in Scotland.

Thank you to the Doolan Family, the RIAS, and the judging panel Ellie Strathaki, Tracy Meller and Chris Stewart for this recognition and for your wonderful comments.

“It’s a project that the jury felt came as close to perfection for its typology as we’ve seen.”

Congratulations to the team involved:

Ann Nisbet Studio: Ann Nisbet, Jenny Barr & Fay Goodwin

Structural Engineer: AH Structural Solutions

Main Contractor: Lawrie Construction

Energy Consultant: Arun Energy

And all the subcontractors and suppliers involved in the project.

Thanks also to North Ayrshire Council Planning and Building Standards for their support throughout the project.

It was such a privilege to work with our client. His belief in being a custodian rather than simply the owner of the existing ruin shaped the direction of the project from the very beginning. That shared ambition to create a home that sits gently within the landscape made it a truly rewarding collaboration.

We could not think of a better way to celebrate the studio’s tenth anniversary than for Cuddymoss to become the first one-off house to receive the Andrew Doolan Award for Best Building in Scotland.

This recognition celebrates not only Cuddymoss, but also the value of thoughtful rural architecture, careful craftsmanship and designing contemporary homes that respond sensitively to Scotland’s landscapes and cultural heritage.

Explore our award-winning Cuddymoss project and learn more about Ann Nisbet Studio’s approach to contemporary rural house design in Scotland.

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