Winners announced for 2021 RSAW Awards
Two projects in North Wales are now in the running for RIBA’s Stirling Prize.
An expert jury chose the winners of this year’s Royal Society of Architects in Wales awards, which were given to just three schemes: Maggie’s Cardiff by Dow Jones Architect, House in North Wales by Martin Edwards Architects, and Tŷ Pawb by Featherstone Young.
All three of the structures are up for a Royal Institute of British Architects National Award, alongside the winners of the RIBA North West Awards. If they receive a RIBA National Award, then they could earn the RIBA Stirling Prize for best building of the year.
“In their own ways, the three award-winning projects are excellent,” said John Pardey, the chair of the regional jury. “All three architects went the extra mile to make great design on a budget that with skill, sensibility and inventiveness made the ordinary quite extraordinary. The three buildings clearly demonstrated how much can be achieved within limited means.”
Here’s a little more about the two North Wales winners:
The house is located near Snowdonia. Credit: Max Creasy Via RSAW
House in North Wales, Martin Edwards Architects
The architect had to give a 19th century stone cottage new life by granting it a modern extension that complements the original building. Datrys was the structural engineer for the project. In addition to winning a Welsh Architecture Award, the house was named Regional Small Project of the Year.
The name means ‘Everyone’s House’ in Welsh. Credit: James Morris Via RSAW
Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham, Featherstone Young
Wrexham County Borough Council contracted Featherstone Young to transform a 38,000 sq ft post-modern market hall and multi-storey car park into a community and arts venue. The London-based firm did so through a “baggy space” design that included shared spaces that weren’t readily defined. Civic Engineers was the structural engineer for the project. Ingine was environmental engineer. Stockdale was the quantity surveyor and Hoare Lea was the sustainability consultant. Wynne Construction finished work on the building in May 2018.
“It means a great deal to us to have won an RSAW Award for Tŷ Pawb,” said Featherstone Young director Sarah Featherstone. “This has been a transformative project for Wrexham. It was the result of a huge team effort with social value at its heart.
“Flexibility and experimentation were key drivers of the design and it has been immensely gratifying to see Tŷ Pawb flourishing in its full spectrum of uses,” she continued. “Alongside exhibition programme and the market, unplanned informal events take place – pop-up open mic, tea dances, pizza workshops, street dance to name but a few; the reciprocal benefits of sharing resources have been important to the success of Tŷ Pawb.”
