Pair of family homes in the countryside and a railway bridge by Grimshaw make final list
A community arts venue and Welsh-language theatre designed by Manalo & White has been named as the best new building in Wales.
The Royal Society of Architects in Wales said the scheme, called Nyth, in a former church in Bangor was a “refreshing” approach to conservation, describing it as a “sophisticated and at times delightful architectural collage”.
The project was among four to win regional awards at a ceremony last week, chosen from a shortlist of five announced in February which also included Grimshaw’s railway bridge in Newport, the only shortlisted project not to win an award.
The winning projects included a new-build house near Abergavenny designed by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects which has been nestled into a hillside, with views of the surrounding Brecon Beacons National Park.
Delfyd Farm by Rural Office, an extension to a Victorian cottage on the Gower Peninsula, won Small Project of the Year and Project Architect of the Year for Neil Haddrill.
The winners were rounded off by Hafod Morfa Copperworks Distillery & Visitor Centre by GWP Architecture & Archer Humphryes, a transformation of a former Victorian steam-engine powerhouse into a distillery and visitor centre, which picked up the Conservation Award.
RSAW Jury Chair Ian Chalk, Director of Ian Chalk Architects, said: “This year’s winning projects span the length of Wales, varying in form, scale and typology. From highly crafted bespoke homes to sensitive conservation repair works and innovative approaches to adaptive reuse, each project demonstrates the quality and breadth of work undertaken across the country.
“Sustainability is at the heart of every project, with a strong commitment to using local skills and materials ensuring projects are deeply rooted within their context. The result is spaces made by and for the communities that they serve.”
Regional award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award, which will be announced on 10 July.
The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK’s building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.
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