Chamber picks finalists for building of year

The short list has been announced for this year's Greater Manchester Building of the Year competition run by the Chamber of Commerce Property & Construction Committee.

The five buildings in the short list are:

• Ronald McDonald House in Hathersage Road, Manchester
• Space Youth Intervention Centre for 42nd Street, Manchester
• Chetham's School of Music, Manchester
• Essa Academy, Lever Edge Lane, Bolton
• One Angel Square, Co-operative headquarters, Manchester.

Judges said:

The Ronald McDonald House, designed by AEW Architects and built by Pochin, was nominated for its striking appearance at the gateway of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and for the service it provides. The charity responded to the challenge set by the planning authority to design a building fitting of its location, built with quality materials providing a safe, homely environment for families.

The Space, by Bradshaw Gass & Hope with Maurice Shapero and City Build, is a new facility for the charitable trust, 42nd Street, which provides support services to young people under stress. It has been created through a process driven by change management and a desire to create a legacy for 42nd Street into the future.

Chetham's School of Music, by Roger Stephenson Architects and Sir Robert McAlpine, is the largest music school in the UK and is unique to the region. The building comprises purpose-built performance spaces, a full academic school and a plethora of state-of-the-art music teaching and practice spaces.

The Essa Academy, by Sheppard Robson Architects and Kier Construction, in Bolton is a new educational building, which has made a significant contribution to the regeneration of the area. It is a well-designed building, which was delivered on time and to budget and is an exemplar of how quality design can respond to specific educational goals.

Finally, the new Co-operative Headquarters on Angel Square, by 3D Reid and Bam Construction, shows the commitment of the Co-op to Manchester, and is a major investment in the city in challenging economic times. As part of the NOMA project, it will make a significant contribution to the regeneration of this part of the city and is a stunning addition to Manchester's skyline.

Phil Cusack, chairman of the Chamber's Property & Construction Committee, said: "The UK construction industry has now been in a depressed state for almost four years. We expected that it would be difficult to find exceptional projects for this award but the opposite has proved to be true – we have looked at some great buildings which have been built and designed with imagination and flair. The short list for the Greater Manchester Building of the Year 2012 demonstrates that the city region is still capable of producing the best, even in difficult economic times."

The Chamber's Property & Construction Committee, which consists of industry representatives, nominated a number of buildings and developments from across Greater Manchester at the last committee meeting. The winner will be announced by Sir Howard Bernstein at the property and construction sector's Annual Dinner on 11 October at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.

Last year's award was won by Media City UK in Salford Quays.