AYA 2018 shortlists: Retail & Leisure Architect of the Year

Today’s shortlist is Retail & Leisure Architect of the Year Award

BDP

BDP has recently completed two major city centre retail and leisure destinations. The practice was masterplanner and lead architect at the £440million Westgate Oxford centre, while in Bracknell, it masterplanned the £250million regeneration of The Lexicon. Its entry also features Boxpark Croydon, a food and beverage destination created from 96 shipping containers, and a new retail area at Paddington station.

Dexter Moren Associates

The hospitality design specialist aims to create beautiful buildings that respond to location and context as well as meeting developer and operator requirements. In London, the practice completed The Curtain, a Shoreditch hotel that also combines co-working, private members club, music venue and Red Rooster restaurant. In Cape Town, the practice brought together two differently branded hotels in one block for client Tsogo Sun.

GT3 Architects

The Newcastle and Nottingham practice’s entry features two leisure centres that have become important community focal points. Hart Leisure Centre in Fleet, Hampshire, is a £23million centre built alongside a country park with facilities for both elite and community users. Workington Leisure Centre is part of a wider town masterplan by GT3 to improve an area with high levels of deprivation.

HPW Architecture

HPW was shortlisted for its work on Rushden Lakes, a £55million retail and leisure destination created on a brownfield site in Northampton. HPW masterplanned and designed the project, which opened last summer with the creation of 1900 jobs, and has achieved planning consent for a second phase. This will create a new building to house a multiplex cinema, bowling, climbing wall, restaurants and additional retail.

Reiach and Hall

Reiach and Hall’s four sports projects include Inverclyde in Ayrshire, the UK’s first inclusive residential sports facility, which is designed to cater for disabled athletes. The practice has completed the ORIAM sports performance centre and is working on a reinvention of Meadowbank sports centre, both in Edinburgh. Its entry also includes The Million Seater Stadium, a virtual, online sports venue that raises funds for the homeless.

Soda Studio

SODA’s entry features three projects in London’s Soho as well as the Green Rooms in Haringey, the UK’s first social enterprise hotel. The practice completed a members club at 76 Dean Street and is now redesigning a block of 15 Georgian townhouses including Kettner’s restaurant, both for Soho House and Soho Estates. The ongoing Walker’s Court includes a revolving theatre as well as residential, retail, bars, nightclubs and offices for Soho Estates.

Stiff & Trevillion

The practice’s entry reflects how high street shops are adapting to meet the challenges of online competition. These include two contrasting food and retail destinations: Pavilion Road, a courtyard development of artisan shops and restaurants for Cadogan Estate in Chelsea, and Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall in north London. The practice also designed new retail and showrooms for Clarks footwear and the KXU wellness hub, also at Pavilion Road.