Andy Campbell

Reason for nomination

Andy Campbell has been nominated for his work as co-founder and architect at Dress for the Weather over the past 10 years as well as his work in architectural education. Over the last year Andy has completed projects across diverse sectors including an Art + Therapeutic Design Strategy for RHSC in Edinburgh and luxury holiday accommodation on the Isle of Islay that refurbished a previously derelict garage building. Dress for the Weather also turned 10 years old in December 2019 and celebrated with a retrospective exhibition at The Lighthouse. The practice was founded directly from architecture school by Andy and colleague Matt McKenna after graduating in 2009 in the depths of the recession. This endeavour slowly evolved into an architecture studio in the coming years and became a RIBA/RIAS chartered practice in 2012. The team now includes Hazel Wallace, Romain Charlet and Massimo Sannino. Andy’s work to develop the practice, from his mid 20’s until present, has involved collaborating with other architects and practices as well as many artists and designers. In this time the practice have won the Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson Scholarship and have been featured in the Architects Journal as one of a number of the most exciting emerging practices in Scotland. The studio continues to explore a contextual design practice and ethos towards an architecture that is climate responsive and connects people with the cultural and material contexts of their surroundings. An important part of Andy’s practice is also engagement in architecture both with students and the public. Andy has taught studios at Glasgow School of Art, Newcastle University and University of Strathclyde where he was acting head of Year 2 this year and will be leading Year 1 in the following term. He has delivered lectures in Germany and at home, most recently at the Friday afternoon lecture series at GSA. He has also collaborated recently with Agile City to run a series of city walks and connected creative workshops that open the practice of architecture to a public audience. Dress for the Weather believe Andy is a deserving nominee for the Young Architect Award as reflection of a decade of practice in architecture, the promotion of architecture to a wide public audience and the growth of a vibrant, creative studio.

Description of work

Port Ellen, Isle of Islay (image.2+3) The conversion of this derelict garage building to luxury holiday accommodation in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay involved inserting a new timber frame within the original stone walls of the garage. A new stair extension in the profile of the existing gable has been added where we have worked with a form that celebrates the existing building and the local rural and industrial vernacular. The slates of the existing roof were replaced and now tie through with the new extension to create a continuous roof form with the slate then returning down the new gable face. This aimed to create a language and feeling of protection from the often harsh climate and the slate has a beautiful quality when laid on the horizontal with very changeable weather conditions.    Art + Therapeutic Design Strategy at RHSC+DCN (image.4) This involved interior and bespoke furniture design, collaborating with fine artists and print makers as well as crafts people for the fabrication of a number of custom pieces. It also involved close engagement with NHS staff and hospital patients. Further information on this can be found in our entry for the ‘Low Cost Project’.   Edinburgh Synagogue and Jewish Cultural Centre (image.1) Further information for this can be found in our entry for the ‘Future Building’ category.   Research by Design (image5.+6) The Pubs Typology paper which Andy produced documents the design evolution of the pub from pre-Victorian to contemporary times. This led directly to the commission for a temporary, pop-up bar for the Year of Architecture, Design and Innovation festival in 2016. The speculation of future typologies continued with the Community Centre for Architecture Fringe 2017.   Kilbirnie Gathering Place (image.7) The themes explored in the Community Centre were taken further here in our first commission for a community building. The project was designed to be built in phases, over time, depending on funding and community involvement. A fixed core with a much looser perimeter provided a series of distinct spaces suitable for specific things rather than the idea of the one-size-fits-all community hall.    Saturday School in collaboration with Agile City (Image.8) In the Saturday School workshops Andy has been working with participants in an open, public platform through creative practices of city reading and representation as well as material re-use in architecture which have resulted in a number of truly collaborative drawings, models and multi-media experiences.