The public is being asked to cast their votes for seven shortlisted buildings that exemplify the best the industry can deliver in the People’s Choice Award for the 2014 Solent Design Awards
The biennial awards, organised by the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), and sponsored by Bouygues UK, recognise attractive places and spaces that engender a sense of local pride, and are well designed, welcoming and sustainable.
As well as the People’s Choice award, a panel of expert judges will also decide on the Quality Places Award and a new Urban Design Award.
The shortlisted schemes are:
Eastleigh House, Eastleigh
Architect Stride Treglown designed this office refurb for Eastleigh Borough Council, providing flexible, modern and sustainable office accommodation for 350 employees. The existing building was given a contemporary render facade, photovoltaic rainscreen cladding and a new glass box at the corner which has created a landmark in the city centre. Balfour Beatty was the contractor.
St Alphege Learning & Teaching Building, University of Winchester
The building is part of the university’s King Alfred Campus and provides 10 flexible teaching studios, breakout spaces, and a rooftop extension. The building is connected to an existing 1970’s building by a glazed atrium. The scheme was designed by Design Engine Architects, with Osborne as contractor.
The Gateway, Ringwood
The project is a new and welcoming point of arrival in the Hampshire town of Ringwood. It comprises a public square and civic building, which contains offices for three different councils, a large assembly room, and public conveniences. There is an internal courtyard onto which the assembly room can “break out”, linked to the public square with decorative gates. Hampshire Country Council Architects designed the scheme for New Forest District Council, with Osborne as contractor.
St Valentines Close, Winchester
T2 Architects designed this mixed use redevelopment for developer and contractor Drew Smith Homes, on the edge of a conservation area in Winchester. The scheme includes four new houses plus 300 sq m of office space designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing.
Mary Rose Museum
The Wilkinson Eyre-designed museum for client Eastleigh Borough Council permanently houses the hull of the Mary Rose, which requires highly specialist environmental conditions to enable conservation to continue. The Warings-built museum building takes many of its cues from the historic ship, allowing its hull, artefacts and exhibitions to take centre stage.
Burma Road Student Village, University Of Winchester
Architecture PLB’s scheme comprises 499 study bedrooms in groups of 5-8 bedrooms sharing communal kitchen and dining facilities, with two, one-bedroom warden’s flats. Shared facilities for the whole university such as a learning cafe, laundry and gymnasium are located at the heart of the development with the central area providing a focus for the student community. It was built by Osborne Developments.
Ryde School
The new entrance building for independent Ryde School, designed by Walters & Cohen, is a foil to the existing listed Westmont building. It is positioned to create a pleasant green space for students, replacing a former car park, and creates a striking first impression of the school. The two-storey L-shaped building encloses a landscaped courtyard. The main contractor was Stoneham Construction.
Awards manager Paul Grover, senior lecturer in the school of architecture at the University of Portsmouth, said that the shortlisted schemes “all genuinely incorporate a ‘designed for all’ inclusivity and connectivity”.
He added: “I’m particularly thrilled that our educational and civic buildings are being designed to be open and welcoming, and that courtyards, squares and gardens are integral to so many.”
Councillor Sean Woodward, chairman of Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), says: “The public vote is as just as important as our judges’ decision. After all, people live and work in these places and spaces and so their decision is vital in choosing the best design.”
Voting for the People’s Choice opens on the 13th October at www.solentdesignawards.org.uk and votes can be cast until 3rd November. The winning schemes will find out the results at an awards ceremony at the Mary Rose Museum on 20th November.
