Edinburgh architecture practice Reiach and Hall have won the top prize at the UK’s Architect of the Year Awards, which took place at London’s ExCeL Centre yesterday evening (8 March).

The studio – whose leisure work includes the National Centre Inverclyde and Aberdeen Sports Village – received the top Schueco Gold Award for a portfolio of recent work that “shows both creativity and flexibility”.

Their 2016 projects include the Oriam sports centre for Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. The building’s striking curving roof was inspired by the trajectory of one of Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos’ famous free kicks.

“Reiach and Hall is a deserving winner, said Thomas Lane, editor of publisher BD, which organised the awards. “Their broad range of work includes the City of Glasgow College riverside campus, a huge scheme with a strong civic presence that has revitalised the deprived Clyde riverside and the Oriam at Herriot Watt, a simple sports centre with a roof elevated to an art form.

“Reiach and Hall’s confident handling of this diverse range of work is exemplary.”

The ceremony also honoured architects working across different sectors in the UK, including public realm and public buildings. Hampshire firm Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt were named Young Architects of the Year.

The sport and leisure category was won by FaulknerBrowns, whose recent work in this typology includes the award-winning Hebburn Central community facility and Angers Patinoire ice skating arena.

Partner Michael Hall said: “Sport and leisure centres fulfil vital social and wellbeing functions in the heart of our local communities, reflecting the changing needs of society and how we choose to spend our leisure time. We continue to drive the evolution of the building typology to ensure maximum impact, not just today, but in the future and it's fantastic that this approach has been recognised with this esteemed title – we're thrilled."

The award judges included Wilkinson Eyre director Jim Eyre, Urban Design London director Esther Kurland, Mace head of design Mike Shaw and Taylor Wimpey design director Nick Rogers.

The leisure winners are listed below:

Sports and Leisure Architect of the Year

FaulknerBrowns

Interior Architect of the Year

Cousins & Cousins Architects

Masterplanning and Public Realm Architect of the Year

Metropolitan Workshop

Public Building Architect of the Year

Adjaye Associates

Architectural Client of the Year Award

Argent (developers of King’s Cross)

Infrastructure Architect of the Year

Knight Architects

Aberdeen complex benefits from Armitage Venesta