Earlier news
Awards home
2006 results
University Library is Portsmouth's Best New Building
Judging for this year's prestigious Portsmouth Society Design Awards took place during September and we are now proud to announce the winners in the categories:- Best New Building, Best Restored Building, Best Landscaping Scheme.
Each year since 1987, with the one exception of 2000, winners have been presented with blue ceramic plaques which are unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth. To be eligible, schemes must have been completed by the 31st December of the previous year and they must, of course, lie within the boundaries of the City of Portsmouth.
Best New Building
This was the University Library; architects Penoyre and Prasad; client Ian Bonar, librarian; contractor Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd; Structural design and mechanical design: Gifford; landscape design Jennifer Coe.
A commendation in the new building category was awarded to Bill Sargeant Crescent, a development of a small block of flats and a terrace of three houses for the Portsmouth Housing Association, off Church Road, Fratton, by the architect Roger Boyce.
Best Restoration / Re-use
There were two winners in a the category of Best Restoration / Re-use of an existing building. They were the Aspex Gallery in the Vulcan Building, Gunwharf. Director Joanne Bushnell, architect Glen Howell, and the Liquid - Envy night club in the former Connaught Drill Hall of the Territorial Army, which had been saved from demolition by the Portsmouth Society after listing had been secured by John Pike, the city's conservation officer.
A commendation in the re-use category was awarded to a Casemate in Hilsea Lines, a number of brick-vaulted rooms in the old defence structure, re-used for band practice, with a specially designed sewage installation on recycling principles.
Best Landscaping Sceme
This went to the Blue Reef Aquarium garden and play area, Southsea Esplanade.
Special Developer's Award
There was also a special one-off Developer's Award given to Neale Brickwood for his outstanding work in Hereford Road, Southsea, which did not fit into any of our categories. It consists of a small new-built house together with the refurbishment into blocks of small flats of three large late nineteenth century houses, all very well designed using fine materials and in some cases specially made furniture.
The Judges
The Society’s Design Awards are intended to raise the standard of local architecture and landscape design. The judges were: Paul Grover, director of the Solent Centre for Architecture and Design, Tom Dyckchoff, architectural correspondent for The Times, David Baynes and Celia Clark of the Portsmouth Society.
Background
If anyone would like to nominate a new building, restoration, re-use or a landscaping scheme in Portsmouth for consideration in the next competition, please email us at
and these will go forward for possible inclusion. 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.
Roger James and Robin Kay
Winner
University of Portsmouth Library
Commended
Bill Sargeant Crescent
Restoration /Re-use
Winner
Aspex Gallery
Liquid-Envy night club
Commended
Bastion 4, Scott Road, Hilsea
Landscaping
Winner
Blue Reef Aquarium garden and play area
Special Developer's Award
Winner
Neale Brickwood for work in Hereford Road, Southsea