Dr. Iain Scott

Biography

Iain is an ARB registered Architect with 29 years of practice experience across the UK and Asia, including tenure at Sir Norman Foster & Partners. His specialty covers a rich diversity of building projects, including new construction and refurbishments for clients like the Bank of Scotland and Post Office. Since 1996, Iain has served as a design tutor at the Edinburgh College of Art and the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA). As a visiting professor at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China, he has led summer school studios and lectures across Chinese universities. His current research spans the relationship between older individuals and the built environment, demonstrated through the cross-disciplinary project ‘Mobility, Mood and Place,’ which involved partnerships with academics from the University of Edinburgh, King's College London, and the University of York. Iain's teaching emphasizes the interplay between teaching and research, fostering an environment where students engage as 'active researchers'. His students frequently receive RIAS student prizes for their work in sustainability and urban design. Iain’s research projects include significant work with disenfranchised populations such as those with autism, leading to notable publications like 'Design Autism' and 'Effective Briefing Techniques for Building Users with Communication Difficulties'. His recent initiatives also include collaborations aimed at informing new housing policy in Scotland and advising on children's play space policies.

Research Interests

Experience