RIBA Regional Awards: ‘The truly exceptional emerges’
RIBA North West last night announced its winners of seven regional awards, including designs by Rafael Vinoly, Foster + Partners, and Stephenson Studio.
The judging panel visited 12 shortlisted buildings in April, before announcing the winners at an event at the Manchester School of Art on Wednesday 24 May.
Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building, Manchester by Foster + Partners, took home the North West Building of the Year Award, which was won last year by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool by BDP.
Graham Morrison, North West regional jury chair, commented: “This year’s awards represent two parallel but linked trends. One is characterised by a dominant interest in the value of re-used existing buildings that benefit from regeneration. The other is the regenerative effect of new buildings themselves.
“Though ‘ordinary’ buildings such as housing or offices are coming close to an award-winning level, they are, in their nature, ‘pathfinders’ and there is an understandable caution in their level of investment. This risk pattern favours the existing buildings that more obviously benefit from previous investment but when this caution is eclipsed by confidence, the truly exceptional emerges and this is evidenced by this year’s overall winner.”
THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Stoller Hall at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, by Stephenson Studio
Photography by Daniel Hopkinson
City Football Academy, Manchester, by Rafael Vinoly Architects
Photography by James Thorp
Finlays Warehouse, Manchester, by Stephenson Studio
Photography by Andrew Wall
Liverpool Philharmonic by Caruso St John Architects
Photography by Hélène Binet
Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building, Manchester, by Foster + Partners
Photography by Nigel Young
Oldham Town Hall, by BDP Architects
Photography by Paul Karalius
Stubbs Mill, Manchester, by Sixtwo Architects
Photography by Jason Byrne
In addition to the seven RIBA regional awards, projects were eligible to win one or more RIBA special awards. The winners are:
Building of the Year Award sponsored by Marley Eternit: Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building
Client of the Year Award sponsored by Tobermore: City Football Group
Project Architect of the Year Award sponsored by Taylor Maxwell: Diego Teixeira, for Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building
Emerging Practice of the Year Award sponsored by Taylor Maxwell: Sixtwo Architects
Conservation Award: Oldham Town Hall
Sustainability Award sponsored by Geberit: City Football Academy
