Collective Architecture brings together varied housing types, thoughtful green spaces and community-focused features in an impressive new housing scheme that makes the most of its setting and has won an RIAS Award
2025 RIAS Award
Housing
Collective Architecture for Hillcrest Homes (Scotland)
Contract value: Confidential
GIA: 5,825m2
Ellengowan Regeneration by Collective Architecture replaces 124 deteriorating cottage flats in Dundee with 130 affordable homes. Built in the 1920s as temporary accommodation, the original flats suffered from multiple issues including inadequate spaces, damp and the presence of asbestos.
The project to replace them has responded to the specific needs of the existing community, with a mix of housing including accessible flats, cottage flats, family terraced houses and a corner shop.
The steeply sloping site informed the layout, with staggered housing blocks which step down the hill, maximising the wonderful views of the River Tay and beyond to Fife.
The two-storey homes have the living spaces on the first floor to capitalise on the site's southerly aspect. A low-angled sawtooth roof form allows residents to enjoy views over the neighbouring roofs and creates a strong architectural identity on both the immediate and wider site.
The housing facing onto Baxter Park utilises a recessed brick detail to create shallow inverted bays, to maintain a regular, tenemental rhythm appropriate to the conservation-area context. The flats have lift access and provide housing suitable for wheelchair users or elderly residents, complete with level access to the bus stop and the shop.
The shop unit replaces a dilapidated kiosk that stood at the corner for many decades and was an important part of the community. A simple palette of materials – principally brick facades and painted timber window frames – gives the area a unified and calm aesthetic. The inclusion of artist-designed tiled details to the entrance of each property is an added understated delight.
Ellengowan Regeneration demonstrates an inclusive and context-sensitive approach – one that balances modern needs, community aspirations and heritage preservation. Its varied housing types, thoughtful green spaces and community-focused features foster a vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood.
It was evident from the jury’s visit how much pride the new residents are taking in their new homes. This is proof of a successful project, undertaken with considerable community engagement and delivered to a very high standard on a modest budget.
View all of our RIAS Scotland winners here, and all our RIBA UK Award winners here.
Credits
Contractor Campion Homes
Structural engineer Morgan Associates
Principal designer KLM Partnership
Landscape architect Connan Design
M&E engineer Hawthorne Boyle
Quantity surveyor KLM Partnership