The visitor centre at Abbotsford has been awarded a prestigious architectural prize in this year’s Scottish Design Awards. The building, which opened last August, was designed by Edinburgh firm, LDN Architects who picked up the award for Sustainable Design. The building was also commended in the public building category.
The centre is built partly into the hillside and is constructed from timber, both internally and externally. It is highly insulated and has a flat, sedum roof that reduces rainwater run-off, enabling the water to be collected and used to flush the toilets. Under-floor heating is provided by a ground-source heat pump and the lighting controlled by motion detectors.