AYA 2023 shortlists: Refurbishment Architect of the Year Award

Earlier this year BD announced all the architects who made it on to the shortlists for our prestigious annual Architect of the Year Awards.

Now we are shining the spotlight on each category in turn and publishing a selection of the images that impressed the judges.

This year’s judges include: Jo Bacon, partner, Allies & Morrison; Murray Kerr, director, Denizen Works; Dav Bansal, partner, Howells; Kay Hughes, design director HS2; Peter Caplehorn, chief executive, Construction Products Association; Peter Fisher, director, Bennetts Associates; Anna Hollyman, Senior Sustainability Advisor, UK Green Building Council; Marta Galinanes Garcia, director, AKTII; Darryl Chen, partner, Hawkins\Brown; Lee Higson, director, Eric Parry Architects; Maria Joao Reis, senior associate, Maccreanor Lavington

Today’s shortlist is Refurbishment Architect of the Year Award.

Gort Scott

The entry showcases two contrasting projects. At St Catharine’s College in Cambridge, Gort Scott’s interventions include a new hall at the heart of a transformed series of social spaces. At Three Mills Island in East London, three disused or under-used historic buildings have been upgraded for film and television use for Three Mills Studios. These include the Grade II listed Custom House, which dates from 1820.

Hall McKnight

The Belfast practice has converted a vacant retail unit into Bullhouse East Taproom, a craft brewery close to its studio. In London, the £28 million Quadrangle project brings a constrained site at King’s College London back into use. An unbuilt project for the same client tackles the refurbishment of six buildings on The Strand. The entry is completed by new interventions at St Mary’s Convent in Wantage.

Mikhail Riches

Sheffield’s Park Hill dominates the entry from Mikhail Riches. The practice has completed Phase 2 of the Grade II* listed estate’s refurbishment, a £25million project delivering 195 new homes. It is due to start on site later this year on the £16million Phase 4, which will provide 124 new homes plus commercial space. In York, the proposed Ordnance Lane housing project is a part retrofit, part new build.

Purcell

Three Grade I listed properties feature in Purcell’s submission. In west London, a £17million refurbishment of Boston Manor House has revived the former private residence as a community and creative business hub. In Leeds, the long-vacant Ledston Hall has been converted to multiple residential use and has been removed from the Heritage at Risk register. The entry also includes £4million works to Newcastle Cathedral.

Sheppard Robson

Three Manchester projects include revival of both the 1963 New Century Hall and the Alan Short-designed Contact Theatre, and a re-invention of the Brutalist Pall Mall Court. The latter workplace is due for completion next year. In London, the practice completed the £31million retrofit of 20 Finsbury Circus. As well as updating the workspace, the project aimed to resolve the tension between the original Edwardian façade and later additions.

Simpson & Brown

The practice has given Fairburn Tower, a 16^th tower house in the Highlands, new life as a holiday home after a century of ruin. In Edinburgh, a former Princes Street department store has been converted into a Johnnie Walker whisky visitor experience. The practice has restored and extended the deanery at Lincoln Cathedral to create a new visitor centre, and reinvigorated Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds.

Squire & Partners

The practice is refurbishing Richard Seifert’s iconic Space House in Covent Garden to celebrate its original 1968 design, following two earlier revamps. At 78 St James’s Street, a former members club and headquarters has been transformed into multi-tenant workspace. Also in Westminster, the practice refurbished a former warehouse for flexible workspace provider Fora. Future projects include the proposed transformation of Haggerston Baths in Hackney for community and business use.

Stiff + Trevillion

Clapham Junction’s famous Arding & Hobbs department store is being reborn for leisure, workplace and flexible retail in a £40milion project. In Pimlico, the practice has completed Newson’s Yard, the £10million retail conversion of a former timber yard. In the City of London, two interconnected buildings – The Gilbert & One Lackington - on Finsbury Square have been reconfigured in a £68milion project for Brookfield Properties.

>> Also read: AYA 2023 shortlists - Architect Employer of the Year