Gloucester SME among builders in Stirling Prize spotlight

A small firm specialising in low energy construction is one of the six building firms to have built the projects vying for the Stirling Prize.

Forest Eco Systems, which employs just 10 people, built the house, designed by architect Loyn & Co, in the Forest of Dean for a couple of retired artists. It is vying alongside schemes including two Oxford University buildings and an art gallery constructed by the likes of Mace.

Outhouse is located on a sloping plot beside Offa’s Dyke, with long views to the Wye Valley and Severn Estuary.

Dean Tingle, who founded the firm with his friend and fellow director Leigh Meek, in 2010 said: “Projects like this don’t come along very often – we’re delighted to be involved in it and thrilled it’s on the Stirling Prize shortlist. We certainly hope to get other work on the back of it.”

It is the first private house to grace the Stirling shortlist for 15 years.

Image top from left; Trafalgar Place by Elephant and Castle by dRMM Architects (credit: Alex de Rijke) – Blavatnik School of Government by Herzog & de Meuron (credit: Iwan Baan) Centre from left; Weston Library by WilkinsonEyre (credit: James Brittain)

Other schemes and their architects and builders are:

• Blavatnik School of Government, at Oxford University, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, built by Laing O’Rourke Construction.
• Damien Hirst’s new gallery, in Vauxhall, London, housing his private collection. It was designed by Caruso St John Architects and built by Walter Lilly.
• The Riverside Campus at the City of Glasgow College, designed by Michael Laird Architects and Reiach & Hall Architects and built by Sir Robert McAlpine.
• The newly restored Giles Gilbert Scott Weston Library at Oxford University by Wilkinson Eyre and built by Mace.
• Trafalgar Place, in south London, a 230-home scheme and the first completed phase of the Heygate redevelopment. It was designed by dRMM and built by Lendlease.

The winner of the prize will be announced on 6 October.