The Small Animal Hospital for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, designed by Archial Architects, has added to its already impressive tally of awards by winning a RIBA Regional Award.

Archial’s striking design for the £10.5 million pioneering world-class centre for veterinary medicine has already won the Supreme Award from the Glasgow Institute of Architects, the prestigious RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award and has been nominated for the Scottish Design Awards.

This latest award is given for buildings that have high architectural standards and make a substantial contribution to the local environment.


Situated at the entrance to the grounds of the Garscube Estate, the Small Animal Hospital provides state of the art services for animal owners and referring practitioners throughout Scotland and Northern England, including the most advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical techniques.

Russell Baxter of Archial Architects said: “I’m delighted with this latest recognition for a building, the situation of which required a radical design solution.

“The primary concern when conceiving the design for this facility was how to create a large hospital without ruining the green space for which the Garscube Estate is renowned. The solution involved lifting up the ground, peeling off the grass and placing the new building underneath.”

This design solution was able to meet the needs of the hospital whilst maintaining the integrity of the location. In order to let daylight in to public areas, an innovative ‘crystal’ glass cupola, lit with different colours at night, sits within the building’s sloping grass roof.

The natural look of the new Small Animal Hospital is completed with stone-filled gabion baskets, lending the building a deliberately solid and heavy base, emphasising the driving idea of roof and ground.

(GK)