Which building will you champion in regional design award?
THREE Bristol buildings and a school in South Gloucestershire have made it on to the shortlist for a regional design award.
For the third year the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) South West has unveiled the contenders for the people's choice award.
The award, sponsored by the Evening Post, along with sister papers the Western Daily Press and the Western Morning News, searches for design excellence in community buildings.
The five shortlisted from across the South West are Arnos Vale cemetery by Purcell Miller Tritton, Bristol Heart Institute by CODA Architects, Colston Hall foyer by Levitt Bernstein Architects, Rednock School in Dursley by Cube Design Ltd, and Mills Bakery in Plymouth by Gillespie Yunnie Architects.
RIBA is now asking members of the public to help decide on the overall winner by voting in our online poll. The winners are due to be announced in a ceremony at the new Grand Pier in Weston-super- Mare on October 12.
RIBA South West director Jon Watkins said: "RIBA exists to champion better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture.
"The people who live and work in them and use them have one of the largest roles in any project. The people's choice award is asking those users to let architects know what excites them, and whether the building works for them."
Readers can add their comments and vote online at www.thisisbristol.co.uk/riba until the closing date on September 16. Tickets are available for the ceremony from RIBA South West on 0844 800 2767.
● RIBA architect and RIBA national councillor Paul Fletcher's gives his assessment of the projects on these pages.
2 Comments
by Peter Tomlinson, North Bristol
Monday, September 06 2010, 8:55AM
“Having attended several concerts at the Colston Hall since the new foyer opened, I find that it cannot cope adequately with the crowds when the event is more than about 70% sold out. At one busy event they even had to delay the start of the concert because the audience could not get in to the hall. During the interval when most of the audience comes out into the foyer and then goes back into the hall, the two way traffic on the many staircases almost seizes up. This is a fundamental fault that should be laid at the door of the architects. And the poor signage (not properly coordinated with the seat information on the tickets) makes the problem even worse.”
by Christine Lillington, Bristol
Thursday, September 02 2010, 4:20PM
“Both my husband and I were treated at the BHI when it first opened and since and we think it is a lovely building with a very welcoming atmosphere. The only drawback seems to be that in the outpatients area, when it is full and people have to sit outside in the atrium near the trees, there is no way of summoning the next patient except by the staff shouting. Could there have been a lighted display or loudspeaker to announce the patient names?”