Stephen Lawrence prize short list announced
26-09-2012
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Drawn from RIBA award winning buildings presented earlier this year, the winners will be announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize Dinner on Saturday 13 October 2012 in Manchester.
The Stephen Lawrence Prize, sponsored by the Marco Goldschmied Foundation, rewards the best examples of projects that have a construction budget of less than £1 million. The prize, set up in memory of the teenager who was setting out on the road to becoming an architect when he was murdered in 1993, is intended to encourage fresh talent working with smaller budgets.
Hill Top House, Oxford, a private house by Adrian James Architects, is across four levels with double volume corridors either side of a circulation and services core. It uses large precast panels for the party walls which enabled the main structure to be built very quickly.
Kings Grove, London SE15, a private house by Duggan Morris Architects, is described as ‘an intelligent house built by an architect couple for themselves’. The site, reached by a narrow lane, is contained by back gardens and it demonstrates a highly disciplined attention to detail in the design.
Hill House, Kent, a private house by Hampson Williams Architects, is a contemporary house aiming to reflect the environmental sensitivities of the client. It used re-cycled excavation material as a retaining wall to keep the carbon footprint low and the project on budget. It has a plywood interior and described as ‘a dramatic sculptural element’ contrasting with the warmth of the plywood surrounding it on all sides.
The Marquis Hotel and Restaurant, Dover, by Guy Hollaway Architects, was previously refurbished by the same architects due to the success of the Grade II Listed restaurant it needed to extend to provide additional hotel rooms, improved staff facilities and an enlarged kitchen.
The new uses locally sourced flint and Kent Peg Tiles which were reclaimed from a demolished cottage that used to be on the site. A sedum roof was created to blend with the landscape and it is described as ‘a fine example of good architecture engendering business success’.
The final contender is the Dellow Day Centre, London E1 by Featherstone Young.
