Architects get a feel for Dumfries

Twenty architects visited the town on Saturday, talking to local people and discussing ideas with members of regeneration project The Midsteeple Quarter.
Explaining that the visit lays groundwork for a competition focused on the town centre, project producer David Smith said: “We are looking to constantly refresh the vision for the Midsteeple Quarter.
“Drawing on the collective imagination of architectural talent in Scotland will help us to imagine what is possible and we can take these visions back to the community for their input.”
The event on Saturday was hosted in preparation for architects entering the Midsteeple Quarter National Architecture Competition — allowing prospective entrants the chance to research the way the town centre currently works and the challenges and opportunities the future holds.
The Stove Network and the Glasgow Institute of Architects have organised the competition on behalf of the local community partnership.
It is open to all architects, designers and urban planners, with cash prizes for the top three entries.
A selection of the entries will be exhibited at The Stove in Dumfries and in Glasgow during the summer.
The Midsteeple Quarter project is led by a diverse and grassroots community collaboration working in partnership with a variety of organisations include Dumfries and Galloway Council.
And Matt Baker from The Stove Network said: “It’s been really important for us to have the backing of our Dumfries and Galloway Council in this enterprise.
“We fully support the recent announcement of the Town Centre Living Fund, allocated in the council budget for 2017/2018, which could help support the realisation of this important project for Dumfries town centre and other town centres across the region.”
For more information on the competition, which closes on May 15, contact David Smith at [email protected] or visit the Glasgow Institute of Architects website http://gia.org.uk