LORD MAYOR’S DESIGN AWARDS 2009
Report by Bev Bagnall
City Library
Photo courtesy of Ryder Architecture
The biennial Lord Mayor’s Design Awards attracted forty entries last year, divided between seven categories. The usual procedure was followed, with an invited panel meeting to nominate a shortlist from which another panel consisting of the Lord Mayor, councillors and others, would choose the winners.
The invited panel included representatives from English Heritage, RIBA, RTPI, IHBC, Northern Architecture, the Landscape Institute and Newcastle University, and I was pleased to be asked to represent the Society. Though it was clear that some entries were not of sufficient standard, the selection of a shortlist among the remainder was difficult, especially when some schemes were entered in more than one class.
The Lord Mayor, Councillor Mike Cookson, presented the awards at a ceremony at the Mansion House on December 9th when seven schemes received awards and fourteen commendations were made.
In the New Building category, the City Library was a clear winner for the public sector and Time Central, Gallowgate, for the private sector. The Landscape Award went to Ellison Quad in Northumbria University for the way it created a space to enjoy as well as an attractive route through the university. Eldon Square North won the Refurbishment category, particularly for the improvements gained by resiting the bus station, greatly improved pedestrian routes into and through the centre, and the more welcoming frontages which have replaced the forbidding brickwork of the original buildings. The new Day Centre at St Oswald’s Hospice won awards both for smallscale development and sustainability.
In the Conservation category, the highly successful rescue of St Michael’s Church, Newburn after the fire was sadly up against the outstanding repair of the High Level Bridge (already the recipient of many awards) but received a commendation nonetheless. The refurbished Tyneside Cinema received the award for accessibility for the way in which this had been successfully improved without detriment to the restored historic detailing of the building. The People’s Award, the result of 1500 votes cast on the internet, went to one of the commended new buildings, the Staybridge Suites in Buxton Street – something of a surprise choice given its strong modern lines and bold black and white colouring.
Finally the special award made by the Lord Mayor himself was given to a small garden scheme at Enslin Street, Walker, in which the whole community had been involved. This had also received a commendation in the Landscape category for its detailing and the contribution it made to the regeneration of Walker riverside. Among the commendations should be mentioned the Great North Museum – Hancock, Tyneside Cinema, Theatre Royal, Cooper’s Studio, Westgate Road, an unusual former stables building of the line of the Roman Wall, and the new Heaton Library with its unusual curving lines, yet so well integrated into its setting. A booklet showing all the awards and commendations was produced and the results can also be seen on line. (http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/lmdahome?opendocument#2009)
City and County<
February 2010
