RIBA Awards 2009 – North West Shortlist Announced
The RIBA Awards are held annually to celebrate buildings considered to be of high architectural merit. This year 12 schemes from across the North West have been placed on the shortlist. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Urbis, Manchester on Wednesday 20 May.
A total of 31 projects were nominated in the North West with 12 schemes, including a private house, a city centre masterplan, an educational building, the restoration of a major regional landmark and Manchester’s first BREEAM ‘excellent’ rated office building making the final shortlist.
The shortlist comprises:
• Silver Cafe, Morecambe designed by Arca
• Midland Hotel, Morecambe designed by Union North
• Liverpool One Masterplan, Liverpool designed by BDP
• Chavasse Park, Liverpool designed by BDP in association with Pelli Clarke Pelli
• Bling Bling, Liverpool designed by CZWG
• 13b Paradise Street, Liverpool designed by Allies and Morrison
• Paradise Street Bridge, Liverpool designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects
• Wigg Island Visitor Centre, Runcorn designed by Hot Architecture
• Private House, Bramhall designed by MBLA Architects + Urbanists
• Alan Turing Building, Manchester designed by Sheppard Robson
• 3 Towers, Manchester designed by Union North
• BDP Studio, Manchester designed by BDP
The judging panel, comprising of Philip Gumuchdjian, of Gumuchdjian Architects, Sir Duncan Michael of Arup and Rod Hughes of Ad-hoc Associates will visit each scheme on the shortlist before deciding which ones will win a prestigious RIBA Award on 20 May 2009.
The judges take into account the following factors when considering entries: budget, size, complexity of brief, detail, invention/originality, contract type, client satisfactory, sustainability, social factors and delight.
Belinda Irlam-Mowbray, Director of RIBA North West, said: “There is an immense amount of variety in the types of projects shortlisted this year.
“We are particularly delighted that of the 12 schemes shortlisted, the majority have been designed by North West based practices, demonstrating the wealth of architectural talent in the region.”
From 2009 RIBA National Awards will no longer be presented, but judging for the RIBA Awards and Stirling Prize remains unchanged. Winners of an RIBA Award will be eligible to be shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.