Design Awards judges stunned by college winner

Wymondham College Sixth Form Centre

South Norfolk Council's Design Awards judges say they are stunned by the quality of the new Wymondham College sixth form centre.

Now they are calling on developers across the board to improve the quality of design in their own more general development proposals.

So stunned were the judges by the College design, that at this year's eighth annual awards - Friday November 14 - they broke with tradition and created a special Award for Design Excellence.

The 2008 Award for Design Excellence and the Award for the New Building Category goes to LSI Architects, Norwich, and contractor RG Carter Ltd, of Norwich.

In addition, the Award in the Landscape Category, which also involved Wymondham College, went to Shiels Flynn, Landscape Architects of Docking, Norfolk and to the landscape contractor GDC Ltd, of St Olaves.

South Norfolk Design Champion Councillor Martin Wynne was delighted by the high standards on show, but said the Awards also sent out a very serious message to developers wanting to build thousands of extra homes across the district and region.

He called on them to improve the quality of their designs voluntarily, and if that didn't work, councils should not be afraid to refuse applications, which did not recognise the importance of high quality design.

Councillor Wynne, who is also the Council Planning Committee Chairman, said:

"After many years of being involved in assessing entries as the Design Champion for South Norfolk, I was absolutely stunned by the thought that had gone into the project at Wymondham College and the successful conclusion.

"Overall, I am also delighted by the variety and quality of entries which highlights the need for quality design in appearance of buildings and landscapes, internal layout and space and importantly the sustainability features built in, like orientation of the buildings, alternative energy sources, insulation and water conservation and reuse.

"It is evident that the schemes hitting the highest standards are those where the owners have a clear vision of what they wish to achieve and insist on this with the architects and builders, as part of their brief."

He added:

"Higher standards are unfortunately not so forthcoming from larger developers, and these must be both encouraged voluntarily or if necessary refused if maximum sustainability is not achieved.

"This is especially the case in the light of the continued pressure for new properties in our region.

"I would also like to see greater attention to landscaping and in the future, more entries in this category."

The new sixth form centre provides 115 ensuite single bedrooms and support accommodation, it expands the dining facilities, and has a new IT suite, reading room, office, music room and student lounges.

In the judging panel's view:

"The resulting solution is a distinctive and dramatic building with two wings meeting in a westward pointing ‘prow’ which is clearly visible on entry into the site.

"This prominent end to the building is facetted and glazed giving it a strong three-dimensional quality and is the point at which the three storey southern wing meets the four-storey northern wing.

"There are clear visual links between the design of the building and its landscape setting, which create a strong character and sense of place within the courtyard. The straight and curved wings define a courtyard of asymmetrical shape and provide a sense of enclosure to a space which offers possibilities for a variety of activities. "

The judges were impressed by the building's sustainability credentials using renewable energy technologies.

All the information about the winners can be found at www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/designawards

The total list of winners are:

Award Winner : New Building Category Wymondham College : New Sixth Form Centre Architect : LSI Architects, Norwich Contractor : R G Carter Ltd, Norwich

Award for Design Excellence 2008 The assessment panel concluded that because of the high quality of design and evidence of close collaboration between architect, landscape architect and client resulting in a highly distinctive development, a new and special award for ‘Design Excellence’ is presented to Wymondham College for the new sixth form centre.

Award Winner : Existing Building Category Laurels Farm, Bedingham : Extension to listed building Architects : Modece Architects, Hartest, Suffolk Contractor : Bob Wadlow, Booton, Norfolk

Award Winner : Landscape Category Wymondham College : New Sixth Form Centre Landscape Architects : Sheils Flynn, Docking, Norfolk Landscape Contractors : R G Carter Ltd, Norwich & GDC Ltd, St Olaves

High Commendation : New Building Category Thurton Primary School Architects : NPS Architects, Norwich Contractor : Mansell Construction Services Ltd, Swaffham

High Commendation : Conservation Category Pump Hall, Hethersett : Conversion of barn to dwelling Designer : Heather Longman, Thurlton Contractor : David Fairhead Builders Ltd, Thurlton

Commendation : New Building Category Lincoln Avenue, Hingham : Development of 40 dwellings Architects : Ingleton Wood, Norwich Contractor : Lovell Partnerships, Norwich

Commendation : Conservation Category Prestons Barn, Morningthorpe : Conversion of barn to dwelling Architect : Russell Vincent, Reepham, Norfolk Contractors : Jeremy Riches & Christopher Percival, Reepham, Norfolk

Web links

• South Norfolk Design Awards 2008

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