The Public Sector Client Forum on 29 March explored how we can work together to create thriving rural communities and heard from the organisations helping us get there.    We broke up the event into three parts: climate, housing and investment. Read on for summaries of each speaker and highlights from the three Q&A sessions.   Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of the Board at South of Scotland Enterprise, chaired the event. Public Sector Client Forum is hosted by Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS).    Setting the scene   Danny McKendry ..read more

We’re working with local communities in seven small towns across Scotland to support place-based climate action. Here the Climate Action Towns team reports back on some of the project’s achievements so far. Across all seven small Scottish towns involved in the Climate Action Towns project, communities are eager to act on climate change. But until now, they’ve been unsure where to start. The project is helping to turn this enthusiasm into action. We’re bringing people who don’t normally get an opportunity to talk to each other together. Project co-lead Laura Hainey said: “With our whole place a ..read more

Our Climate Action Towns project is supporting communities to take collective place-based climate action in seven small Scottish towns. But what does this actually mean, and why do it? Here are five good reasons. Did you know that half of Scotland’s population lives in Towns? So it is important that our towns, as well as our cities, start to take action to tackle the climate emergency. Every town in Scotland is different, with its own unique history, people and geography. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to adapting to the impacts of climate change; what works in one place won’t be righ ..read more

Stone Repair and Restoration by Graeme Frame and Marcus Paine of Stone Federation Great Britain (SFGB) on Thursday 28th April 2022 at 12.30 – 13.30  This CPD will cover the repair and restoration of stone in Scottish traditional buildings. The session will look at masonry failures and the best solutions for them.  Topics covered in the CPD will include:  Stone matching  Detailing  Common causes of damage  Different techniques for their repair  Photo by Gunnar Ridderström on Unsplash ..read more

Professor Russel Griggs – Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise – looks ahead to the latest Public Sector Client Forum’s next event on Tuesday 29 March which he will chair, focussing on how our rural communities meet the challenges for the future. When South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) was launched in April 2020, we were immediately faced with one of the biggest challenges of our lifetimes – COVID-19. SOSE was set up by the Scottish Government due to the unique circumstances of the South of Scotland, and the desire for a fresh approach to drive inclusive growth across our rural region. While ..read more

  We hosted the 15th Local Authority Urban Design Forum event online on 1 March 2022. We have pulled together the learning below. The event was in three parts: Net zero towns and cities Fresh from the findings of the Just Transition Commission and Scotland’s ambitious Net Zero targets, how do we meet the challenges of preparing our towns and cities for a net zero future? Retrofit and heritage The UK has the oldest housing and building stock in Europe, how do we meet the challenges of preparing these buildings for our net zero targets? A discussion on policy and approaches Scottish Governm ..read more

As Rural economies emerge from COVID-19 facing a series of challenges, some old some new, this event looks at how the key institutions that guide our places can work together to solve the issues affecting our local economies. The Public Sector Client Forum is a place for public sector leaders to gather and learn how colleagues across the UK are taking innovative place-based approaches. We look at built environment strategies taking data-led approaches, harnessing investments to transform the local economy into a more equitable, climate resilient place. Building on our previous successes, the P ..read more

As A&DS looks for two new members to join our board, current board member Daisy Narayanan reflects on her experience on joining the board. The deadline for applications is 7 March 2022.  Tell us about your journey to becoming a board member – why did you apply? As an urban designer working in Scotland for around 15 years, I have always admired the work of A&DS and their design-led approach to good places. I was contacted by a couple of colleagues to let me know that there was an opportunity to join the A&DS Board as four roles had been advertised. I spoke to a Board ..read more

Scottish Ministers are appointing up to two new members to the Board of Architecture & Design Scotland.   Location: Edinburgh & Glasgow (Currently remote-based)  Closing date for application: 9th March 2022  We are looking for two new board members who will bring to the board some skills and experience which are a priority for us now.   Click this link to find out more about the role and how to apply on the Public Appointments for Scotland website.  We are hosting two online information events, with current board members as our guest speakers. These will g ..read more

Scottish Ministers are appointing up to two new members to the Board of Architecture & Design Scotland.   Location: Edinburgh & Glasgow (Currently remote-based)  Closing date for application: 9th March 2022  We are looking for two new board members who will bring to the board some skills and experience which are a priority for us now.   Click this link to find out more about the role and how to apply on the Public Appointments for Scotland website.  We are hosting two online information events, with current board members as our guest speakers. These will g ..read more