Ayear-long celebration of Scotland's "extraordinary, unique" architectural tradition is intended to help Scots recognise the economic and social benefits the profession has brought to Scotland.
Neil Baxter, secretary of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (Rias), who launched the project to celebrate the Rias centenary, said he wanted every person in Scotland to be impacted by the series of exhibitions and events, and to "have some fun".
"There is no question that Scotland has some of the best architectural heritage in the world, from iron age brochs to Robert Adam, to the world-leading practices of today," he said.
"People tend to be wary of it and see new buildings as the preserve of architects themselves. We want to use the year to demystify the process by which great buildings happen. We want everyone to feel more involved in this, and to feel more confident in encouraging local authorities, politicians, health boards and other commissioning organisations only to design work that is up to the great Scottish standard."
He added: "Great architecture is about making people feel better, and work better. We are not so much in the business of promoting the skills of the architect for their own sake, or the £10 billion annual economic contribution of the Scottish construction industry, but for what they do to produce this happiness factor."
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop last week announced Scottish Government support for the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, which will be followed in 2017 by a year focusing on history, heritage and archaeology.
She said: "We have a great story to tell and 2016 gives us the opportunity to do just that - from the art nouveau of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to the neoclassicism of Playfair, the spectacular innovation of the Falkirk Wheel, the engineering of the Forth bridges, to our incredible array of castles and country houses ... we will have the opportunity to celebrate our rich design sector."
Core funding from the Scottish Government on "focus years" will be £570,000, split over two financial years.
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