Six winners named from shortlist of ten
BDP’s Dalton Building at Manchester Metropolitan University has been named as this year’s winner of RIBA’s North West Building of the Year Award.
Designed with 5plus Architects, the building in Manchester city centre is the new home for the university’s faculty of science and engineering.
RIBA’s jury for the region praised it as a “compelling model for university buildings, combining spatial generosity, environmental quality, and technical rigour within a coherent and compelling whole”.
The building was among six winners from a shortlist of 10 announced at a ceremony yesterday evening, which also marked the 60th anniversary of the RIBA Awards.
Other winners included Bank Barn by Gagarin Studio Architects, Byre House by MawsonKerr Architects, Foundation and Altrincham by BDP.
Donald Insall Associates’ restoration of Rochdale Town Hall picked up three special awards, the Conservation Award, Project Architect of the Year for Rebecca Mills and Client of the Year for Rochdale Town Hall.
Kempston Street, Studio Mutt’s transformation of a former hat factory in Liverpool into office space, won Small Project of the Year.
RIBA North West Jury Chair, Pablo Iglesias, founder of Grated Apple, said: “Visiting this year’s award-winning projects revealed a body of work distinguished by skill, craft, and a clear responsiveness to context. The rural projects offer exemplary models for the conversion of agricultural buildings, combining restraint with spatial invention.
”A comprehensive restoration of the town hall is matched by a step change in accessibility and engagement, reopening the building as an inclusive civic place and shared community asset.
RIBA President, Chris Williamson, added: “This is a landmark year for RIBA as we mark 60 years of our Awards and the impact of past winners on society.
”Over six decades, the Awards have charted a cultural journey across the UK, reflecting how architecture has responded to changing needs in education, industry, work and home life. Today, as in 1966, we celebrate architecture that sets new standards for how we live and shape our communities - and reminds us just how important it is to keep raising the bar.”
RIBA North West Award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, which will be announced on 9 July. The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.
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