School building up for national design award

One of Bristol's new secondary schools has been shortlisted for a design award.

Bristol Metropolitan College in Fishponds, which opened a year ago, is nominated for the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award.

This honours "architecture of the everyday" such as streets, schools, bridges and stations.

The award, sponsored by Cabe (Commission on Architecture and the Built Environment) requires both efficient procurement and excellent design.

This year's record shortlist includes 24 projects, chosen from 125 entries from around the country.

The judges said of the Bristol Met building, designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre and built by Skanska through the Bristol Local Education Partnership: "A strong partnership of school, architects and construction team has created a light, airy new BSF school, with a curving central 'street' at its heart, and a wave-like undulating roof."

Bristol Met replaced Whitefield Fishponds Community School.

Commenting on the shortlist, Gordon Brown said: "These projects show how creative design can deliver public buildings that the community can take pride in."

The award winners will be announced in October.