Winners and runners-up for our 2021 Summer Awards
Winner in the Master-planning Category: Thamesmead - Living in the Landscape (LDA Design for Peabody)
We are delighted that the following winners and runners-up have been successful in receiving Future Cities Forum awards in our Summer 2021 judging forum.
Future Cities Forum selected three separate projects across seven categories: master planning, science buildings and R&D campus design, new housing projects, infrastructure / infrastructure-related development, cultural buildings, Net Zero planning and energy, and Future High Streets, to be judged by a high experienced all female panel. It was not a necessity that all projects should be physically finished.
Our judges were:
Eleanor Kelly Chief Executive, London Borough of Southwark; Kim Wright Chief Executive, London Borough of Lewisham; Leonie Bell Director of the V&A Dundee; Annelie Kvick-Thompson Partner, Grimshaw; Eftychia Koursari Senior Civil Engineer in Amey Consulting's Structures Team; Cora Kwiatkowski Divisional Director, Stride Treglown; Joanne Cave Partner, David Lock Associates / Co-Chair of the Oxford Design Review Panel; Marcelina Zielinkska Director, Chapman Taylor; and Lucinda Turner Head of Spatial Planning, Transport for London and Associate Director of Built Environment, Greater London Authority - see below for full profiles.
The overall criteria for the awards judging were whether the projects showed real vision in their concept and design and additionally but not least, sustainability in how they would be delivered and how they would add to their host cities.
Judges’ thoughts and marks were recorded by Future Cities Forum on 26th May 2021.
MASTER PLANNING
The judges were looking for the sustainability of the master plans, outstanding design and the strength of biodiversity.
Winner: Thamesmead ‘Living in the Landscape’ by LDA Design for Peabody
In the master planning category, the ‘Living in the Landscape’ master plan (by LDA Design) for Peabody’s £1 billion regeneration of the 1960s Thamesmead district in the London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley was the overall winner.
Runners-up
Bracknell Town Centre Vision 2032 (by Cushman & Wakefield and Allies & Morrison for Bracknell Forest Council) Bracknell Town Centre 2032 vision (bracknell-forest.gov.uk)
Oxford North (the new living and employment district being created by Thomas White Oxford’s extensive team on land owned by St John’s College Oxford) The project | Oxford’s new life sciences district (oxfordnorth.com) approved by Oxford City Council’s planning committee in December 2020.
Judges’ comments on ‘Living in the Landscape’ included:
Kim Wright, Chief Executive of Lewisham Council, praised ‘the sheer scale and impact of the project’, saying she admired ‘the connected nature of the design.’
While Annelie Kvick, Partner at Grimshaw felt that it is a ‘really ambitious project and sets out a clear vision…. It is important to reclaim nature and the waterfront as Thamesmead is a forgotten pocket of London.’
Leonie Bell, Director of V&A Dundee said that ‘in Scotland there is an understanding of what Peabody is trying to achieve and I admire the ‘Living in the Landscape’ idea.’
Lucinda Turner, Head of Spatial Planning at TfL felt that it was ‘important to make nature and biodiversity a focus of infrastructure, and as important as traditional infrastructure.’
SCIENCE CITIES
The judges were looking for innovative design, integration with communities and what the projects add to their host cities.
Winner: AstraZeneca’s new global R&D centre, Cambridge UK (BDP / Herzog & de Meuron)
In our Science Cities category, the overall winner was AstraZeneca’s new £500 million global R&D centre and headquarters building on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This project is central to bringing together AstraZeneca’s 2,000 employees who are currently spread across eight sites around Cambridge. BDP is the lead consultant and executive architect carrying out the vision of concept architect Herzog & de Meuron.
Runners up
The new CABI offices in Wallingford with sweeping green roofs by architects Scott Brownrigg and Ridge and Partners LLP as project managers, https://www.scottbrownrigg.com/work/projects/cabi-headquarters/
Warwick University’s £30 million IBRB biomedical research building – designed by HawkinsBrown Architects and built by Wilmott Dixon - which includes the Wolfson Tissue Mechanobiology and Human Disease Laboratory, University of Warwick Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building | Willmott Dixon
Judges’ comments on the winning project included:
Effie Koursari of Amey Consulting remarked: ‘The use of the heat pump – by AstraZeneca – is important as heating is a great producer of carbon.’
Marcelina Zielinska of Chapman Taylor added: ‘There is so much investment in this project…I very much appreciate the efforts they have made with their videos. It is very important how you communicate a project’s benefits.’
HOUSING
In our housing category, the judges looked for ‘creating a sense of place’ with community facilities, and a joined-up planning approach to housing, infrastructure and jobs.
Winner : Steenberg’s Yard, Lower Ouseburn Valley (PfP Igloo / Xsite Architecture)
In the Housing category, the overall winner was Lower Ouseburn Valley – Steenberg’s Yard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne designed by Xsite Architecture with engineering by Cundall for Igloo Regeneration - part of the phased regeneration of an important Newcastle industrial suburb which became de-populated as historic industries declined.
Runners-up
Eddington, North West Cambridge - Ryle Yard (Key worker housing by Macreanor Lavington within AECOM’s phased master-plan for Cambridge University Estates) Ryle Yard Eddington - Maccreanor Lavington
Purfleet on Thames – a transformational development within the Thames Gateway with 2,800 new homes, retail and healthcare next to 1 million square feet of film and production studios (AHMM and dRMM architects for Swan Housing / Urban Catalyst with Thurrock Council) Purfleet Centre Regeneration (urbancatalyst.co.uk)
In our Housing category, the judges were struck by the Newcastle project’s residential quality, connected jobs and transport. They liked the phased approach of the wider masterplan and solid building blocks from which connectedness would grow. They also liked how the fund was managed by the community up. They thought there was appropriate scale and that the development had made the most of the Ouseburn waterfront.
Annelie Kvick of Grimshaw praised ‘the research that had been carried out and how many people had been spoken to, the richness of the scheme and diversity.’
Leonie Bell of V&A Dundee liked ‘the potential of the development to keep growing. Longevity is just priceless.’
INFRASTRUCTURE
The judges were asked to consider whether each infrastructure project was meeting design ideals, embodied ‘sustainability’ and acted as ‘a piece of the city’?
Winner: A14 Improvements Scheme by Skanska / Costain / Balfour Beatty for Highways England
This 21 mile road upgrade scheme in Cambridgeshire included the planting of 900,000 trees (with a 2:1 replacement ratio), new water vole habitats and the discovery of three Anglo-Saxon villages by the team of archaeologists from MOLA Headland. It set new standards in digital innovation and biodiversity planning for a transport project.
Runners-up
Farringdon Station. Crossrail Farringdon station - Crossrail
CB1 Station District development, Cambridge – based on an original master-plan by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, followed by a planning strategy by Bidwells for developer Brookgate CB1 (bidwells.co.uk) CB1 - Brookgate
There was much praise for the biodiversity and focus on nature as a mitigating factor on road impact from TfL’s Lucinda Turner.
Effie Koursari of Amey Consulting also noted ‘the biodiversity and bat boxes as examples of good planning.’
The judges welcomed the fast delivery of the road project and how sustainability will continue to improve over time as electric cars come in.
CULTURE
The judges were asked to consider the competing visions to open out cultural assets to wider communities while modernising and adapting heritage in a sensitive fashion.
Winner: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums (Hoskins Architects for Aberdeen City Council)
The winning project involved the creation of a copper-clad rooftop extension providing unrivalled views across the city, new teaching and learning spaces and temperature controlled temporary galleries that will allow Aberdeen to host world class touring exhibitions.
Runners-up:
The Box, Plymouth (SNC-Lavalin Atkins for Plymouth City Council The Box – SNC-Lavalin (snclavalin.com)
EMD Cinema in Walthamstow (Pilbrow & Partners for Soho Theatre Group / Waltham Forest Council) Walthamstow EMD Cinema → Pilbrow & Partners (pilbrowandpartners.com)
Leonie Bell, V&A Dundee, felt the Aberdeen Art Gallery was an ‘exercise in restraint’ and the use of light in the building was very effective. ‘It points up the austerity of the granite Victorian buildings and is the architects’ most sophisticated building.’
Annelie Kvick, Grimshaw, felt the Aberdeen Art Gallery was ‘a perfect example of how you can change and adapt old buildings.’
Joanne Cave, David Lock Associates, praised ‘the gracefulness of the gallery design’.
Lucinda Turner, TfL, felt the gallery was ‘restrained and sympathetic’.
NET ZERO
The judges were asked to consider looks at the design impact of these projects on their environments, whether they were important landmarks for the city, represented energy innovation and included community outreach.
Winner: Manchester City Council’s Tower of Light / Civic Quarter Heat Network (Tonkin Liu / Vital Energi)
In our Net Zero category, Manchester’s Tower of Light and Civic Quarter Heat Network was the overall winner – with tower / flue and façade design by Tonkin Liu in collaboration with Arup, enclosing Vital Energi’s £20 million CHP centre for the City Council Tower of Light | Flue tower and facade in Manchester City Centre — tonkin liu Manchester Civic Quarter Network (vitalenergi.co.uk)
Runners-up
North London Heat and Power Project (Grimshaw for North London Waste Authority) North London Heat and Power Project – Projects – GRIMSHAW
Jubilee Pool Lido Penzance geo-thermal project (Geothermal Engineering Ltd) Jubilee Pool – Geothermal Engineering Ltd
Kim Wright of Lewisham Council liked the Manchester project as it was ‘right in heart in city and this connected it with communities and businesses. The designers are not shy with the flue, and it is a lot more than an energy centre. It has social value and is helping local authorities to meet net zero.’
Annelie Kvick of Grimshaw commented that ‘that the challenge that needs to be tackled increasingly is how you integrate energy centres into the city – and make them into architecture.’
Eleanor Kelly, Chief Executive of Southwark Council thought ‘ it was challenging to bring it into heart of city, and this made it a positive feature of the city’.
HIGH STREETS
The judges were asked to consider the use of heritage to improve the high street from economic, social and aesthetic perspectives, the re-purposing of the department store and how universities have supported investment in retail provision and are connecting with their host cities.
Winner The Burges, Coventry (Historic England / Historic Coventry Trust / Coventry City Council and architects Corstorphine + Wright). Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone programme has released funds for restoration and upgrading of one of the few remaining medieval / Victorian streetscapes in Coventry, including Hales Street and Palmer Lane, boosting the local economy and engaging directly and successfully with the community. The Burges, Coventry High Street Heritage Action Zone | Historic England
Runners-up
Dept W, Whitechapel, London E1 (the repurposing for a modern high street and sensitive restoration of Wickham’s department store for Schroder UK Real Estate Fund by Buckley Gray Yeoman, now let in entirety through Allsop to Queen Mary University of London)
Dept W (bgy.co.uk) Schroders lets 55,380 sq ft Department W in its entirety to Queen Mary University - Allsop
Northgate, Oxford (MICA Architects for Jesus College, Oxford University – re-design of Jesus College-owned Cornmarket facing shops on ground and first floors with college / student facilities and accommodation above, creation of new college quad and modern gatehouse opening to Market Street.
Cora Kwiatkowski of Stride Treglown admired the Coventry project: ‘It has a lot of detail and on the local economy and is impressive in getting whole community behind it. The Burges is public space so a lot of people would benefit. It is about taking responsibility for the space. Best scheme.’
Kim Wright of Lewisham Council was struck by Historic England’s HAZ project: ‘This was about shops and conserving heritage and history, using abandoned upper floors and making a connected community.’
Leonie Bell of V&A Dundee remarked that ‘I like the way they (the Coventry teams) were analysing place and moving back to move forward.’
Future Cities Forum would like to congratulate all winners and runners-up in our Summer 2021 Built Environment Awards and for the commitment of the high-level and experienced team of judges, their time and thoughts.
We are now preparing for our Winter 2021 Built Environment Awards which will be judged in December.