Scotland’s design agency Architecture and Design Scotland launches its 10-year strategy (18 March 2021) Architecture and Design Scotland, Scotland’s design champion, has launched its 10-year corporate strategy, calling for collaboration to ensure Scotland’s places are created for the benefit of people in Scotland, and ensuring that the voice of communities is central to how places are planned and delivered.

The strategy sets out the agency’s vision for the coming decade – a Scotland whose places are healthy, sustainable and thriving, where everyone works together to shape their future.

Well-established research shows that the design and maintenance of our places matters to people’s wellbeing:

  • Proximity to good greenspace is associated with improved mental health and wellbeing.
  • People living closer to greenspace are likely to be more physically active than those who do not.
  • Active travel offers physical activity and sustainable means of transport – good street design and lighting can encourage active travel, leading to health and environmental benefits.
  • Places designed to be walkable can increase the potential for social connections.

Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS), Ann Allen, said “The significance of place – our buildings, infrastructure and spaces, and the way we use them to live our lives – has been highlighted like never before by the Covid-19 pandemic and the on-going climate emergency.

The climate emergency is our greatest challenge and touches almost every aspect of our lives. We believe that places created or adapted to tackle climate change are also better places for people.

Our role will be to stimulate a step-change in how Scotland’s places are planned, designed, delivered and sustained. We will work with our partners to demonstrate what a joined-up approach looks like and the benefits it brings to people. We will use our experience and professional skills to inspire and support all those involved in creating, adapting and sustaining Scotland’s places.”

Ambitious Strategy

As a national organisation Architecture and Design Scotland aims to ensure that the benefits of the Place Principle become an everyday reality. The Place Principle is an approach agreed by Scottish Government and public sector bodies – to ensure a coordinated approach when designing or improving places – from services through to major infrastructure.

You can access the Corporate Strategy, Corporate Plan alongside a series of examples from www.ads.org.uk