Firm’s refurbishment of a grade I-listed Shrewsbury mill described as “nothing short of exemplary”
RIBA has named Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios’ refurbishment of a grade I-listed mill in Shrewsbury as its West Midlands Building of the Year.
The practice has transformed the late 18th century Flaxmill Maltings building, known as the “grandparent of skyscrapers” due to its height and early use of a steel frame, into a new leisure space and visitor centre.
Judges said the project was an “exemplar of sustainable refurbishment to support the next 100 years of use for a building with a particularly innovative design heritage.”
FCBS also won West Midlands Project Architect of the Year, West Midlands Client of the Year and the West Midlands Conservation Award for the scheme.
Four other projects have been handed gongs at this evening’s awards ceremony, including Hawkins Brown’s Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building at the University of Warwick and the open air Black Country Living Museum by Napier Clarke Architects.
Other projects to have won regional awards include Cwm Barn, a low carbon family home by Arbor Architects and a restoration of the grade I-listed St Mary Magdalene Church by Communion Architects, which also won Small Project of the Year.
RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, said this year’s winning schemes “showcase the true value of quality architecture, and the positive impact it has on people’s lives”.
“While carefully considering the needs of the environment, these truly remarkable places and spaces deliver for communities, for residents, for visitors, and people of all ages up and down the country.
“They are pinnacles of design excellence, and show what can be achieved when architects and clients collaborate successfully.”
West Midlands Awards jury chair Jessic Barker added: “This year’s winners showcase a positive future for architecture, with sustainability and a fabric-first approach dominating the list.
“The respect for the agricultural heritage which characterises the West Midlands is also evident in all the winning projects.
“The conservation work on Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, our West Midlands Building of the Year, is nothing short of exemplary and shows that, along with the community, education and environmental focus of the rest of the winners, localised architecture has a wider reaching impact.”
RIBA West Midlands Award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award, which will be announced on 11 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.
No comments yet