Architect Michael Dougall, 32, currently President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA) has been honoured by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) becoming the youngest ever inductee to the professional institute Fellowship.

The award, in the Incorporation’s 99th year, recognises Michael’s outstanding contribution to the Glasgow Institute (one of the Incorporation’s six area Chapters) to the Incorporation itself and as a charitable fundraiser for the Architect’s Benevolent Society for which he now serves as an Ambassador.

RIAS President, Willie Watt, said: “The Incorporation’s Bye-Laws stipulate that Fellows must be over 35 years of age. However, Michael’s remarkable work, as a community architect with Collective Architecture and on behalf of the profession, makes him well worthy of this exceptional award.

“The RIAS Council has the authority to vary the rules in very special circumstances. The Council commended Michael’s work in involving a whole new generation of architects in the work of the Incorporation, helping to strengthen its membership, now the healthiest at any time in its history. They were also hugely impressed by his tireless charity fundraising endeavours and his work to make architecture accessible to a much broader public, particularly through his contribution to the brilliant GIA programme for next year’s Festival of Architecture.

“He is a brilliant young talent but also, and this may have been the clincher, a very nice guy.”