The Portsmouth Society - News
| Portsmouth Society Design Awards 2006
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News Earlier news Awards home 2005 results |
Best New Buildings The Portsmouth Society’s Best New Building Award in their 2006 Design competition goes to the Spinnaker Tower, designed by Peter Warlow of local practice HGP Partnership. The Tower is a triumph of innovative engineering. It has achieved its objective – to become an icon for Portsmouth, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors in its first year. There are four Commendations in the Best New Building category. The first is Hamilton House, in St. James’s Hospital designed by Stuart Bone of Havant firm, PWP. The judges enjoyed this light airy home for six severely disabled residents in yellow brick, set in a lovely garden. The deliberately modest and domestic scale was thought very suitable for its use. Also commended was the bright and spacious new reception area at Court Lane Infants’ School designed by architect Ed Causch and the delicate heart-motif gates made by local blacksmith Peter Clutterbuck. The third Commendation for Best New Building is West Point, the new Barratt’s and Atlantic Housing Association development facing Milton Park, also designed by HGP Partnership. The three blocks of flats are set in the mature landscape of the former teacher training college, including the beautiful walled garden. Its dense urban massing added a distinctive counterpoint to the residential context of Milton. The popular new Learning Centre by city architect Chris Greed for the City of Portsmouth Girls’ School is also commended. Best Restorations The Best Restoration Award goes to local craftsman Richard Walker, for his meticulous and careful restoration of the canopy of the Angel drinking fountain in Canoe Lake, a much loved memorial to a former Lord Mayor, which had seriously deteriorated through rust and poor repairs, and reguilded at Richard's own expense. Best Landscaping schemes The City Council design team won the Best Landscaping Award for the relocation of Nelson’s statue in Grand Parade and the new bridge across to Spur Redoubt, adjoining the earlier award-winning seating on the saluting platform. This project stitches together this important coastal walk and its contemporary detailing tempers the rugged historic defenses. Other entries The judges also saw John Pounds Community Centre and its garden, new buildings for Portsmouth High School in Castle Road Southsea, the conversion of Branksmere House in Queens Crescent Southsea into two houses and an architects’ office, St. Mary’s Hospital NHS Treatment centre, Boom Tower House in Old Portsmouth, Qinetic’s mock-up of a Type 45 conning tower on the crest of Portsdown Hill, Warrior House on the Hard and the Ravelin Park archway, also by Peter Clutterbuck. The Judges The Society’s Design Awards are intended to raise the standard of local architecture and landscape design. The judges were disappointed that the overall standard of new buildings in the city did not reach as high a standard as last year. The judges were: Paul Grover, director of the Solent Centre for Architecture and Design, Matt Swanton of Format Milton Architects, Roger James and Celia Clark of the Portsmouth Society. Background Judging for the Design Competition takes place each September where our panel of judges decide which is the best new building, best restored building and best landscaping scheme completed in the City during the previous year. Celia Clark |
New Buildings Winner Spinnaker Tower Commended Hamilton House, in St. James’s Hospital Reception area at Court Lane Infants’ School West Point, Milton Road Learning Centre, City of Portsmouth Girls’ School Restoration Winner Angel drinking fountain in Canoe Lake Landscaping Winner Relocation of Nelson’s statue in Grand Parade and the new bridge across to Spur Redoubt |