A stone and steel bridge designed by Scottish architecture studio Moxon Architects has been shortlisted for the prestigious RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award. The Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge, located in the Cairngorms, was featured in a video produced by Jim Stephenson as part of a collaborative series between Dezeen and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) to showcase the 2025 award shortlist.
The new bridge was specifically created to redirect traffic away from the neighboring 250-year-old Gairnshiel Bridge, helping to preserve the historic structure. According to studio founder Ben Addy and Aberdeenshire Councillor Geva Blackett, the Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge was intentionally designed to serve as "a sibling to the existing bridge" with a "functional and very graceful" design that draws inspiration from the original structure's form.
Addy explained the design philosophy behind the project, noting how the team drew inspiration from the existing bridge's architecture. "With the existing structure, you've got the sort of very slender arch that then widens out," he said. "We took inspiration from that with the new structure where we've got our wing walls [that] also taper off into the landscape," he added, demonstrating how the contemporary design harmoniously integrates with both the historic bridge and the surrounding Highland landscape.
The Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award, established in 2002, is an annual recognition program that highlights exceptional Scottish architectural projects. This year's winner will be announced on December 5th. According to RIAS, this year's four-project shortlist represents a diverse range of work, from rural infrastructure projects to urban public-realm initiatives, featuring projects that "celebrate architecture's place alongside other disciplines."
The Gairnshiel Jubilee Bridge faces strong competition from three other notable projects on the shortlist. These include the renovation of Union Terrace Gardens by Stallan-Brand and LDA Design, the historic Fairburn Tower renewal by Simpson Brown, and The Nucleus Building by Sheppard Robson. The shortlist demonstrates the breadth and quality of contemporary Scottish architecture across various project types and scales.
The video documentation and photography of the bridge project were provided courtesy of Jim Stephenson, who has captured the bridge's integration into the dramatic Highland landscape and its relationship with the historic structure it was designed to complement. The project represents a thoughtful approach to contemporary infrastructure design that respects historical context while meeting modern functional requirements.
