Eleven North West projects win RIBA Awards
A record 11 buildings in the North West have won a Royal Institute of British Architects Award in this year's competition.
Winners included Beetham's Hilton Tower in Manchester and Liverpool's Arena & Convention Centre (ACC) on the waterfront.
The full list of winners is:
- Arena and Convention Centre (ACC), Liverpool, designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects
- The Bluecoat, Liverpool, by Biq Architects (Landscape Architects – Austin-Smith:Lord / Conservation Architects – Donald Insall Associates)
- Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Neston, by Sheppard Robson
- Postgraduate Statistics Centre, Lancaster University, by John McAslan + Partners
- Private House, Bowdon, by Stephenson Bell Architects
- Hilton Tower, Manchester, by Ian Simpson Architects
- John Rylands University Library, Manchester, by Austin-Smith:Lord (Conservation Architects – Lloyd Evans Prichard)
- Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Manchester, by Denton Corker Marshall
- Abito Apartments, Manchester designed by BDP
- Chimney Pot Park, Salford, by Shedkm
- Guest Street Housing, Manchester, by De Metz Forbes Knight Architects
The panel of judges visited 17 shortlisted schemes across the region and was greatly impressed by the overall standard. Cindy Walters, director of Walters & Cohen, chaired the jury and commented: "There was a huge diverse range of buildings visited from private homes, several teaching facilities, public buildings and innovative social housing schemes. We met some quite exceptional clients during our visits and the fact that eleven awards have been given demonstrates the exceptionally high standard of entries."
Paul Spooner, regional director of national regeneration agency English Partnerships, said today that he was "absolutely delighted" at the success of so many EP projects in the awards.
He said; "It is hugely satisfying that projects as challenging and important as the ACC at Kings Waterfront in Liverpool, Chimney Pot Park in Salford and Guest Street, part of our New Islington millennium community in East Manchester, have been recognised as being beacons of architectural and design excellence.
"We work hard to encourage these high standards across all our projects, and we would like to congratulate all those who have had the vision and dedication to produce this kind of work."
The RIBA Award winners are now considered for the RIBA National Awards, which in turn form the longlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize. The RIBA Stirling Prize will take place on the 11 October 2008 at the Arena and Convention Centre in Liverpool, and will be broadcast on Channel 4 on the 12 October 2008.
