Sentinel, the innovative commercial development in Glasgow's new Financial Services District has won an international award for architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects. It is the second major design award gm+ad have won for Sentinel in 2005. In May, the building was given the Best Commercial Project category at the Scottish Design Awards. The same evening, Reiner Nowak, project architect for Sentinel also won the title of Young Architect of the Year.

"It's rare for a speculative office building to be so honoured", says Gordon Murray "but we consider the design of commercial buildings to be as important as public works or arts projects. The practice puts the same effort and hard work into making them a success, so it's excellent when that effort is recognised and rewarded"

"We're fortunate that this approach attracts commercial clients who are also interested in architecture and good design, adds Alan Dunlop " and in John Kennedy, Chairman of the Kenmore Group we had a perfect client. His committment to innovation, interest in architecture and confidence in us has paid off, for Sentinel has now been fully let. Remarkable really for a project which is just finished and naturally we are delighted"

"Sentinel has been beautifully detailed" says Project Director Jim Dick. " During the day it looks elegant and its glass corner seems almost transparent. When you stand on St Vincent Street you can see right through it. It's a mature piece of design.... but at night its appearance is very different. The building incorporates a unique lighting system of LED'S that work on a continuous spectrum of colour, controlled by computer. It glows from red to purple to blue to green to yellow to ochre, in a slow changing cycle. It is really very dramatic and not what you expect at all in a commercial building"

As a winner of an RIBA Award, Sentinel will now go forward for consideration for the shortlist for the Stirling Prize, one of the top international awards for architecture. gm+ad have also entered the building for the RIAS £ 25,000 Andrew Doolan Award for the best building in Scotland, due to be announced in September. The Andrew Doolan Award is the UK'S biggest prize for architecture.