Are These Best New NW Buildings? RIBA Shortlist Announced

Confidentials 2 April 2014

TWELVE buildings in the North West have been shortlisted for the regional RIBA Awards.

Since Manchester’s magnificent Civil Justice Centre missed out to a housing development in 2008 who knows the politics behind the winner

From a starting field of 33 the judges selected a mixed dozen; the subtle grandeur of the Carmelite monastery in Liverpool by Austin-Smith:Lord LLP; the same firm’s redefining of Liverpool Central Library; the elegant extension to Trafford Town Hall by 5plus Architects that manages to enhance the listed building and the drama of the Highfield Humanities College in Blackpool by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Hats off too to the owners of two private houses in Manchester who backed their architect’s vision to add more light and practical living space to their family homes.

Andrew Ruffler, Regional Director of RIBA North West, said: “The region has produced an incredibly strong and varied shortlist of buildings and practices. The regional jury had an extremely difficult task this year, particularly as the North West had the highest amount of projects of value £20m+ outside of London, so it is encouraging that regional practices and smaller schemes have also been recognised by the jury.”

All shortlisted buildings will be assessed by a regional jury with the winners announced on 17 April at an awards bash at ‘OH ME OH MY’ in Liverpool.

Regional winners are then considered for a RIBA National Award to be announced in June which in turn get a tip at the biggie, The Stirling. Although since Manchester’s magnificent Civil Justice Centre missed out to a housing development in 2008 who knows the politics behind the winner.

In alphabetical order the 12 shortlisted NW projects are:

Carmelite Monastery, Liverpool by Austin-Smith:Lord LLP