Following our centenary year and a period of continued growth, collaboration and change, Bracewell entered 2026 with confidence and a clear direction for the future. Our focus remains on delivering thoughtful, high-quality architecture, masterplanning and energy-led design solutions across Scotland.
The year has already brought recognition for the work of our team. Urban Realm recently revealed its Top 100 architectural practices for 2025, celebrating ambition, creativity and practices that continue to move the profession forward throughout Scotland. We are pleased to share that Bracewell has been ranked 35th.
Bracewell also recently completed its Integrated Management System surveillance audit, carried out by FQM Ltd in Stirling. Maintaining ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 accreditations remains central to how we operate. Quality management, environmental responsibility, and health and safety are embedded across all our projects and office locations.
Bracewell is also in the running for the Supporting Member of the Year award at the 2026 Homes for Scotland Awards. This category recognises the role that Associate and Strategic Land Promoter members play in supporting the sector and helping to deliver more homes across Scotland. The award will be decided by a vote of HFS homebuilder and RSL members. We wish all finalists across every category the best of luck, and we look forward to attending the Annual Lunch on Friday 15th May at the EICC.
Project Highlights
Bracewell has provided design and planning services to support Albyn Housing Society with the development of 15 new homes in Dingwall. The project forms the third and final phase of the Colonels View development, located off Docharty Road. The homes will include a mix of two-bedroom flats and two- and three-bedroom villas, supporting local housing demand while completing the wider community.
Fife Council recently approved plans to expand its housing stock, progressing 36 new social homes in Rosyth and the purchase of 18 new-build homes across developments in Markinch, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes. Bracewell played a key role in delivering the Allanwater Homes development at Caskieberran Road, where Fife Council has agreed to purchase five of the newly constructed homes. The development uses a restrained palette of contemporary materials alongside well-planned internal layouts designed to create comfortable, energy-efficient family homes.
Construction is progressing quickly on Global’s new headquarters at Inverness Campus. Bracewell was appointed lead architect for the 2,000m² office building, working closely with Global and Capstone Construction to deliver a workplace that reflects the organisation’s growth and future ambitions. At the heart of the design is a large central atrium, intended to act as the social and collaborative hub of the building. Completion is scheduled for late 2026, when teams from across Global’s portfolio will relocate to the new headquarters.
Bracewell also continues its work with Tulloch Homes and Albyn Housing Society on a 54-home affordable housing development in Conon Bridge. The homes will form part of the wider Conon Braes South masterplan, which will deliver 160 homes in total. The development includes a mix of houses, bungalows, apartments and cottage flats, with homes available for social rent, mid-market rent and first-time buyers. Designed with low energy use in mind, the homes will incorporate air source heat pumps and connect with surrounding routes and landscaped areas.
We’re also delighted to see our masterplan for the Walliwall site in Kirkwall has taken a further step forward, with Orkney Housing Association awarding a £11.5 million construction contract to Orkney Builders (Contractors) for the next phase of the development. We secured detailed planning consent for the site, helping to unlock the delivery of 41 new homes. The development will provide a mix of homes for social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost home ownership, supporting greater housing choice and affordability for households across Orkney.
Lisa Middleton, Partner at Bracewell, commented:
“Whether we are delivering new homes, workplaces or wider masterplans, our aim is always the same. To create well-considered buildings that contribute positively to the places around them. Good housing should do more than add numbers, it should strengthen existing communities. Enhancing connectivity, supporting local identity and delivering long-term value.”
Masterplanning & Call for Sites
When it comes to masterplanning, we are urban designers and masterplanners with a focus on place-making and long-term value. Our services cover urban planning, stakeholder engagement, site strategies and framework planning, site viability and layout studies, local development plan promotion, schematic layouts, design statements, vision documents and visual material.
Our masterplanning and development team continues to support clients through site promotion, submission strategy and positioning proposals within the planning process. If you are preparing a response or would like to explore the potential of a site, please get in touch with Mark Hamilton, Sarah McKenzie or Stephen Lynas for an initial discussion.
Upcoming Call for Sites deadlines include Cairngorms National Park Authority – 12th June 2026, and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority – 23rd April 2026.
People, Learning & Development
Firsty, we’re delighted to share that Kerr Arnold successfully passed his Part 3 professional examination and can now officially call himself an Architect. Becoming an architect requires years of dedication, balancing practice experience with study and professional assessment. Kerr’s achievement reflects the hard work, perseverance and commitment required to reach this milestone.
At the start of the year, we welcomed Ester Coma to the Bracewell team in our Stirling studio. Ester joined the practice as an Architect with nearly 30 years’ experience, bringing a wealth of knowledge across a range of sectors including residential, commercial, leisure and healthcare. Originally from Catalonia, Ester has been working in Scotland for around 25 years and now lives locally in Clackmannanshire.
In February, our Stirling-based team visited Deeside Timberframe in Throsk for a CPD factory visit. Seeing the full process in action, from digital modelling through to precision cutting, assembly and quality control was invaluable. From automated wall panel construction to roof trusses, factory-based timber frame continues to play a critical role in improving build certainty, programme, quality and performance, particularly as the industry pushes for greater efficiency and lower carbon delivery.
In February, we also welcomed Fiona Buttenshaw MSGLD to our Stirling office to deliver a company-wide CPD session on Considering Biodiversity in Gardens and Designed Landscapes, with colleagues in Inverness and Oban joining remotely. Fiona explored evolving approaches to garden and landscape design that actively promote biodiversity and climate resilience, while still creating practical, joyful spaces that help people connect with nature. Drawing on insights from leading practitioners across the UK and Europe, alongside her own projects, she demonstrated how biodiversity can be embedded across public realm, residential and even industrial settings.
Joanna Dyrda, Part 2 Architectural Assistant and CPD Co-ordinator at Bracewell, commented:
“Bringing the team together through CPD, both in person and remotely, is key to how we share knowledge and challenge our thinking. CPD Sessions like these not only build technical understanding but also reinforce our collective approach to designing places that add real value for communities.”
Community Engagement
We kick-started the first quarter of the year by supporting initiatives that encourage young people to explore careers within architecture and the wider built environment. In January, Business Development Manager Stephen Lynas attended a careers event at St Mungo’s High School in Falkirk, speaking with students about the profession and possible career pathways. In March, teams from our Inverness and Stirling offices also attended two apprenticeship events: DYW Inverness & Central Highland School Apprenticeship Fayre at Alness Academy, and DYW Forth Valley Stirling Apprenticeship Event at Stirling Court Hotel.
Kerr Arnold, our recently qualified Architect at Bracewell who supported the Stirling event commented:
“The profession depends on attracting new talent with fresh perspectives. There are multiple routes into architecture today, and that flexibility is important. For students, the key is to stay open, build experience where you can, and understand that no two journeys are the same.”
Industry Perspective
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation titled “Accelerating Home Building in Scotland – incentives and penalties to speed up housing delivery.” The consultation explores possible measures to increase housing delivery, including fiscal incentives, penalties for slow build-out rates, and changes to planning procedures.
While increasing housing supply is widely recognised as a priority, the focus on incentives and penalties raises important questions around how quality, sustainability and community needs can be balanced with delivery speed. We encourage colleagues, clients and industry partners to review the consultation and share their views before the 30th April deadline.
Stephen Lynas, Business Development Manager at Bracewell, commented:
“There is no question that housing delivery needs to accelerate, but focusing too heavily on incentives and penalties risks oversimplifying a complex issue. Barriers to delivery are often structural, from infrastructure to viability. Addressing these fundamentals will be just as important as any policy mechanism.”
The first months of 2026 have brought continued progress across our projects, learning opportunities for the team, and engagement with the wider industry.
Reflecting on the quarter, David Keith & Amanda MacRitchie, Partners at Bracewell, commented:
“Looking across the first quarter of 2026, what stands out is the strength of collaboration across our team, our clients and our partners. From housing and masterplanning projects to ongoing learning and industry engagement, the focus remains on delivering well-considered, practical solutions that respond to real challenges. As we move through the year, that emphasis on quality, clarity and long-term value will continue to guide our work.”
If you are exploring a new project or would like to discuss how Bracewell could support your plans, we would be delighted to hear from you. Start a conversation here: bracewell.co/contact
Shaping Scotland since 1925
Architecture | Masterplanning | Energy
Bracewell.co