City sweeps board in annual office awards
BIRMINGHAM walked away with the lion’s share of the prizes at the regional awards run by the British Council for Offices.
At a ceremony at Birmingham Town Hall, four of the five awards in the Midlands and East Anglia section went to offices in the second city.
They will all join winners from other regions across the UK at the national awards ceremony in London on 5 October.
Around 300 architects and designers from across the region attended the ceremony.
The winners were:
Best Commercial Workplace
Eleven Brindleyplace, Birmingham
Developed by Argent, it was chosen for its high quality multi-let office building. Judges said it was an architecturally impressive building and a well thought out solution which can be differentiated in the marketplace.
Best Fit-out of Workplace
Birmingham City Council’s Lifford House, in Fordhouse Lane.
Judges praised its bright and stimulating environment which made efficient use of the space available while still retaining a spacious feel. A number of initiatives to improve the building’s carbon footprint have also been introduced, including re-use of the original building and intelligent lighting.
Best Refurbished/Recycled Workplace
Two Colmore Square, Birmingham
It was commended for its radical transformation of a tired and outmoded office and warehouse building into an attractive and environmentally friendly office space. The building, which has already successfully achieved a BREEAM Excellence Award, was described by judges as ‘uplifting’.
Best Project up to 2,000m²
Associated Architects, 1 Severn Street
The quality of the finishes and the design elements impressed the judges who said the company had delivered a workplace which provided its staff with a first class office environment and a demonstration of its capabilities as an architectural practice.
Making up the award winners was Napp Pharmaceuticals, from Cambridge, which took home the Best Corporate Workplace prize.
Judges also gave a special mention to Birmingham’s One Snow Hill and put it forward from the Midlands and East Anglia region to compete for a National Innovation Award.
