Staffordshire building honoured with top design award
A new Remembrance Centre built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire has been named one of Britain’s best new buildings.
The £15.7m scheme was designed by Birmingham-based Glenn Howells Architects and built by Warwickshire construction and civil engineering group, Stepnell.
The building has been recognised with a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) National Award for its significant contribution to British architecture.
RIBA commended the way it had met the challenge of unifying an existing chapel, former visitor centre and external spaces and gardens.
The RIBA said: “Every member of the judging panel was visibly moved by the experience of the building.”
The Remembrance Centre project was one of two Stepnell projects recognised during the awards.
The second was the high-profile extension and refurbishment of the historic library at Magdalen College, Oxford.
At Magdalen College, Stepnell restored and reroofed the 1850s-built Grade II-listed Victorian Buckler building and created a new-build semi-subterranean library extension. Designed by Wright & Wright Architects, the scheme won praise from RIBA for its highly sensitive treatment of the historic context and for its successful expansion of the library facilities to meet modern standards.
Stepnell joint managing director Tom Wakeford said: “We are all extremely proud to have been involved with these two outstanding projects. To receive the recognition of a RIBA National Award is an amazing achievement.”
The two projects were among 49 RIBA National Award winners, including Brighton’s British Airways i360 seafront viewing tower; Tate Modern’s ziggurat-style extension in Southwark, south London, and Leicester Cathedral’s Richard III memorial and tomb.
The shortlist for the 2017 Stirling Prize – which honours Britain’s best new building – will be drawn from the 49 winners.
Established in the 1870s, Stepnell’s head office is in Rugby, while it also has regional offices in Kidderminster, Worcestershire; Nottingham, Nottinghamshire; Wantage and Poole. The company works across the education, health, residential, industrial, commercial, retail, crematoria, defence, security and emergency services sectors.
