Haddo House

The Aberdeenshire Design Awards are held every second year in the prestigious surroundings of Haddo House, the National Trust for Scotland's property near Tarves.

The awards celebrate the very best in design, conservation and craftsmanship in buildings and landscapes across Aberdeenshire. The winners of different categories are selected by an independent panel of judges which includes representation from amongst others Historic Scotland and the RGU School of Architecture.

Architects, designers, builders and owners from each of the shortlisted schemes are invited to the awards ceremony in September at which the winners are revealed.

The whole thing is administered by two of my colleagues from whom preparations for the 2014 event will start soon after this year's wash up meeting. For the rest of our team, myself included, our only real involvement is on the day of the ceremony when we set about building display boards, hanging signs, directing guests, pouring wine, washing glasses, repacking vans and generally being skivvies for the cause.