Ian Wall, former CEO of The EDI Group, has been awarded the 2008 Lighthouse Achievement Award.
25 Aug 2008

The award is made each year by Scotland's National Architecture and Design Centre to an individual or organisation for their contribution to the nation's built environment.

"Ian Wall was an inspired client," says Morag Bain, Director of ACCESS to Architecture and Chair of the Judging panel. "Throughout his years with City of Edinburgh Council and EDI he showed a great determination to ensure quality developments and commitment to raising the profile of good architecture. We felt that as he moved on from EDI it was an appropriate time to recognise the valuable contribution he has made to Scotland's architectural landscape through his bold commissioning policy."
Acting Chief Executive of EDI, John Mark Di Ciacca, said:
"Ian's contribution to the built environment is well known among those who have worked with him. The award is well deserved and reflects the huge personal commitment and energy he demonstrated during his years with EDI, the organisation that he helped to establish 20 years ago. Most recently Ian's commitment to exploring shared surfaces has permitted EDI to develop an entirely new approach to modelling successful streets and public realm."
While working for The EDI Group, Ian Wall helped to deliver a number of major developments in Edinburgh including Edinburgh Park, described by the British Council of Offices as "one of the best business parks in Europe". He created and established the 15-year programme to reinvent Craigmillar, one of Scotland's most deprived areas.

"Making good buildings is not difficult if the client has the commitment and determination to do so and has a design team similarly committed," says Ian Wall. "I receive this award, for which I am truly grateful, only because I have had the privilege of working with a great team at EDI alongside great architects, landscape architects and professional teams."

The presentation ceremony took place on Friday 22 August, followed by a keynote lecture by Ian Wall entitled Working spaces: Living spaces. An exhibition of winning and shortlisted projects is on show at The Lighthouse until 3 September 2008.



The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Achievement Award was established in 2004 as part of ACCESS to Architecture (formerly the National Programme for Architecture) a Scottish Government backed initiative aligned with Scotland's Policy on Architecture. Previous winners of the £5,000 award, which is used to develop a project of personal interest to the awardee, include GLAS, Murray Grigor and Dick Cannon

The judging panel comprised: Morag Bain - Project director - ACCESS to Architecture (Chair); Nick Barley Director, The Lighthouse; Dick Cannon - Elder & Cannon; Alan Pert - NORD and Sebastian Tombs - CEO, A+DS.

Rennie Mackintosh

Glasgow Herald Building

Since 2001, Ian Wall has been recognised by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) as one of the top 25 clients for architecture in Britain. Two years ago he was made an honorary fellow of the RIAS (Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland).

EDI was initially set up in 1988 by the City of Edinburgh Council to carry out the development of Edinburgh Park, which is regarded as one of the principal business parks in Europe. It now develops a wide range of property from business parks, offices and retail to factories, schools and community buildings; parks and housing for the homeless. It combines a commercial approach with a commitment to bringing architectural, environmental and social benefits to and through its projects. In doing so it has also established a reputation for the innovative nature and high quality of its developments from design stage to finishing, resulting in a number of awards. It undertakes regeneration projects such as the regeneration of the Tron area in Edinburgh and currently, together with the City of Edinburgh Council, is redeveloping Craigmillar through the largest urban regeneration company in Scotland - PARC Craigmillar Limited.

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