The plaque for a WCCA New City Building award - 2010

The new plaque installed

The New City Architecture Award 2010 was won by architects FLETCHER PRIEST for a project at No.1 Angel Lane, fronting Old Father Thames on the site of a former telephone exchange next to Cannon Street Station.  The new Headquarters of Nomura Securities.

the extended River Walkway

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click here for details of the WCCA New City Buildings Award

More from Broadgate Award plaque unveiling

We are indebted to Tom Ball for the composite picture of the plaque unveiling at 210 Bishopsgate/ the Broadgate Tower on Friday last.

Why, one has to ask, is the Deputy Master in such reverential pose in the bottom left photograph. Answers in a plain brown envelope please.

New City Architecture Awards Decision Day

The Winners of the Company's New City Architecture Awards for 2011 were announced and certificates presentedby Sheriff Wendy Mead at the Livery Banquet on Wednesday 14 March.The short listed buildings can be viewed on an earlier post.

The assessors (pictured below sans Clerk) were The Master - Michael Wilkey; The Renter Warden, Jaki Howes; Paul Finch OBE (Chairman); Liveryman Barry Munday, Alex Scott-Whitby (student representative) and the Clerk, David Cole-Adams

The assessors' report is as follows:

Unusually, the weather was fine for the Assessment tour and the jury marked this singular event by deciding unanimously that two buildings should be joint winners of the New City Architecture Award for 2011 – an award given for the best work of architecture in the City of London completed free of planning conditions in the qualifying year. This was not as a result of an inability to make a decision, but for positive reasons related to the qualities and characteristics of the architecture.

The jury has picked buildings that both respond to Wren, that are both office-led developments, but which then differ utterly in the contributions they make to City life. By coincidence, both have lead architects from outside the UK, working in the City for the first time. This is further evidence of the global nature of the Square Mile.

The two could scarcely be more different in terms of the challenges they presented to the architects in terms of programme and site. Each contributes to the evolving nature of the City of London, and each has been the subject of some controversy, especially in the pre-planning phase. As built, they both bring positive elements to the City and are worthy joint winners.

One New Change, designed by Atelier Jean Nouvel with executive architects Siddell Gibson, is on a hugely sensitive site opposite St Paul's Cathedral. The architects have managed to deliver a thoroughly contemporary piece of architecture which nevertheless respects its historic neighbour, not least by providing wonderful views both from ground and roof level.

 

The creation of arcades within the development gives urban grain to what might otherwise have seemed a relentless block. This is particularly true of the Cheapside elevation, where the glazed facade is not only broken to create a route into the scheme, but is also given visual variety by use of fritting, and angled canopy panels reflecting the tops of the buildings opposite.

This is an excellent example of how an office development, by including a substantial retail element, can bring activity to the street and life to the area for workers, visitors and residents alike.

The Award recipients were Kiran Pawar of Owners Land Securities, Hala Wardé of concept architects Atelier Jean Nouvel (seen right receiving her certificate from the Sheriff and Master), Ron Sidell of executive architects Sidell Gibson and Phil Clarke of Management Contractors Lend Lease .

 The other winner - New Court, Rothschild's new home in St Swithin's Lane, is designed by OMA with executive architects Allies & Morrison. It is located on a very tight site with one of the city's narrower lanes providing access. In order to provide sufficient space not merely for staff offices but also for the Rothschild archive, housed at ground level, the architects have produced a modest tower with stacked 'boxes' emerging on the City skyline. This is uncompromising and refined architecture which has created a striking landmark.

In some ways, however, the ground treatment is even more important. Here the building opens up to reveal the rear of Wren's St Stephen Walbrook, and its beautifully restored garden. What might have been a fortress has provided a new City gem. 

Sadly Tony Chapman of owners Rothschild Bank was unable to be present but Ellen van Loon of OMA (shown left), Andrew Dean of Allies and Morrison and James Pearce of Lend Lease collected their respective certificates.

Arrangements will be made for the Award plaques to be fixed to the buildings in due course and for them to be unveiled by the Lord Mayor.

New City Architecture Award for 2011

At its main Livery Dinner in March the Company will announce the winner of its coveted New City Architecture Award for 2011. The eligible buildings / works of architecture are those which have been completed free of planning conditions in the year to 30 September 2011. The award is made specifically to the building which, in the opinion of the judges, makes the most significant contribution to the street scape and skyscape of the City of London.

The assessors this year were Paul Finch OBE (Chairman), Michael Wilkey (the Master), Jaki Howes (The Renter Warden), Barry Munday (Court Assistant) and Alex Scott-Whitby (Student Member of the Company). They were assisted by the Clerk, David Cole-Adams, who led the way and organized the necessary food and beverage stops. By way of showing that they took their task seriously regardless of the weather they are depicted alongside rugged up against the unseasonal weather.

There were four buildings on the shortlist:

One New Change, London EC4

New retail and office complex

Architects: Atelier Jean Nouvel (Concept) and Sidell Gibson Architects (Delivery)

Building Owner: Land Securities

Main Contractor: Lend Lease

1 Bartholomew Lane, London EC2

New offices  behind a part retained part new facade

Architects: Sidell Gibson Architects

Building Owner: Hines UK

Main Contractor: Balfour Beatty

Mint Hotel, Pepys Street, London EC3

new hotel building

Architects: Bennetts Associates

Developer: Mint Hotel Group

Main Contractor: Laing O'Rourke

New Court, St Swithins Lane, London EC4

New headquarters building for NM Rothschild & Sons

Architects: OMA (concept) and Allies & Morrison (delivery and fitout)

Building Owner: Rothschild

Main Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease








As noted above, the Assessors decision will be made known on Wednesday 14 March - watch this space and feel free to register your comments on the likely or your preferred outcome.

RIBA/WCCA Travel Award 2011 Presentation

In 2008, the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects announced its intention to collaborate with the RIBA to create an annual travel award of £2000 to be awarded to a student - or group of students - enrolled on the first year of a RIBA Part 2 at a London school of architecture. The Award is made in memory of Stuart Murphy who was a former Chief Planning Officer of the City of London, and also a past Master of the WCCA. 

In 2011 the administration of the award was passed from the RIBA Education Department to the RIBA London Region. This move has proved a great success, and there there have been many more applicants. The presentations by the two joint-winners for 2011 took place in the Lasdun Room at the Royal Institute of British Architects on the evening of 31 January 2012. Despite competition from a simultaneous Rogers Stirk Harbour presentation in the building, there were forty people present at the beginning of the event, and sixty once the rival presentation had finished.

Jaki Howes introduced the audience to the Worshipful Company and declared its aims.
Alex Scott-Whitby extolled the benefits of the Travel Award and introduced the two joint winners for 2011. 

The first presentation was by Danny Fenster from the University of Greenwich. He had visited Chongqing in China, with the aim of seeing what could be discovered from planning processes in very rapid urban development. Chongqing is situated on hills. The new redevelopment appears to ignore topography, sense of place and history, but gives rise to a strange three-dimensional circulation patterns – all beautifully demonstrated in Danny’s animations. Undeveloped land is sold on to developers, and then flattened to accommodate identical 30-storey residential blocks. 

Naveen Anadakumar, from the University of North London, went to Sri Lanka to find out how community input could be incorporated into the redevelopment of a country that has been so ravaged by war, floods and landslides. He carried out interviews, held workshops in schools and talked to as many people as possible. He found he could make an immediate difference by persuading shopkeepers in Ballicaloa to put rubbish bins onto the streets, and in addition invented a really practical drainage system. 

The two presentations were followed by lively discussion. Both emphasised the importance of finding a way to talk to people about architecture and the environment in a way that they can practically understand.

Mervyn Miller thanked Naveen for his fascinating work and presented him with the second part of his prize. Roger France presented Danny with his prize, and thanked Laura Broderick and Jessame Cronin of the RIBA London Region, the WCCA Master of Students, and finally both winners and audience for a splendid evening.

Waiting for the start...

Jaki Howes introduces the event

Alex Scott-Whitby introduces the presentations...

2011 joint-winner Danny Fenster with a map of Chongqing

2011 joint-winner Naveen Anandakumar presents...

Question Time

Danny gets a cheque from WCCA's Roger France

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Queen's Jubilee Card Competition

The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects (WCCA), and the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA), are inviting architects and students of architecture in the Commonwealth to participate in a fun international design competition for a 3D ‘pop-up’ Diamond Jubilee card for HM The Queen. (If you Google ‘pop-up card’, there are lots of great images on the web.) 

The winning card will be delivered to HM The Queen by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects to celebrate her (60th) Diamond Jubilee. The winner will be awarded a prize of £60.00 to cover the cost of materials, and two invitations to the Annual WCCA Livery Banquet in the City of London, at which their achievement will be recognised with a framed Certificate. 

If you are interested in taking part, full details are available on the competition home page http://queensjubileecardcomp.blogspot.com/ You should register your interest by 20th March 2012, and submit you completed 3D ‘pop up’ Diamond Jubilee card entry by 20th April.

30th January 2012

from somewhere wel north of Watford

One of the more technically challenging tasks that falls to the lot of a Master is that of participating in the annual TeamBuild Competition which aims to promote understanding and co-operation between young professionals in the construction industry. Nine six person multi-disciplinary teams were put together by a range of practices and organizations and given a weekend to persuade the judges they they are deserving of the prizes on offer. 

As the Company regularly donates one of the major prizes - that for Procurement Strategy - the Master gets to be one of the judges. Other prizes are given for the best overall performance, Excellence in Presenattion Techniques and, this year, for the Most Innovative Use of Materials.

Teambuild 2011 challenged teams to plan, design and deliver a world-leading eco-town development. The Exemplar phase of NW Bicester, developed by a consortium led by P3Eco, was granted detailed planning permission in August. This fascinating project provided the basis for a series of taxing scenarios at all stages of the construction process, watched and scored by eminent Judges from all fields across the construction industry. Eight teams, representing 22 top construction companies, made it through to the hotly-contested finals, and impressed throughout with their professionalism, and dedication.

The overall winners were Greenprint - a team from BDP's London Office while the WCCA Prize was won by Concordia - a team from the Homes and Communities Agency who are pictured above with the Master..

Never let it be said that the Master's lot is just about eating and drinking. This event was, he reported, 'hard work and as just about as stimulating as anything I have experienced since I was a student'.

And more Company winners

The very same Daily Telegraph British Housing Awards presentations also brought glad tidings for Liveryman James Burrell of Burrell Associates  whose Bronze House in Swabridgeworth, Hertfordshire was selected as the Large House of the Year

The citation noted that 'this highly distinctive building has several claims to originality. It's the first bronze-clad house in the UK; planning permission was gained via a public review; and one of the two wings is set at an angle to capture the movement of the sunduring the day ..........The bronze cladding which wil graduallty develop a deep brown atina as it weathers , complies with the planning requirement for a colour palatte sympathetic to nearby houses while creating something dramatically different'.

A third member of the Company, Justin Bere won a Commendation in the Best Small House Category of the Awards for his Camden Passivhaus (pictured below complete, it is hoped, with a Totota Prius!

Justin Bere's office has enjoyed considerable success over the past few months both with the Camden Passivhaus and with The Larch House in Ebbw Vale which was the winner of the innovation Category , Cionstructing Excellence Wales Awards and in the Sustainability Category of the RICS Wales Awards - one of the most respected awards of its kind in the UK Construction industry.

Additionally they are short listed for Environmental Excelence in the BD Architect of the Year Awards and for a number of other Awards where results are to be announce shortly. Watch this space.

Election Court Dinner and the Joys of Giving

The Company's Annual Election Court Dinner followed the annual Service which was led by the Honorary Chaplain - the Rev Canon David Parrott and held in Hawksmoor's only City Church - St Mary Woolnoth. We had been driven from our customary home (and David's Church) - St Lawrence Jewry - by a Jazz concert scheduled for the same time in Guildhall Yard.

The dinner is the occasion on which the Company seems to give things away. Among our guests were four crew members from the RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station - Coxswain William Ellwood and crew members Sue Body, Paul Tattam and Richard Abbot. 

See here is William Ellwood receiving a donation from the Company to assist in the work of the RNLI.

Additionally, this is the occasion on which the Company's award to the person or organization which does most to raise the profile of the Architects Benevolent Society. This year's winner was Dawson Stelfox MBE who is one of those people for whom exercise and adventures are a way of life. He has climbed Mt Everest and, in order to raise funds for the ABS, has climbed practically there is to climb in Northern Ireland where his practice - Consarc is based. 

Dawson is pictured here receiving the award from the Master Edward King. This splendid trophy was painted by eminent architect (and ABS President) Dr Ken Shuttleworth.Close views of both front and back of the plate are shown below.

While presenting the Award, the Master also presented a cheque to the ABS Secretary - Keith Robinson (below)- assist the organization in the invaluable work they do for those in need on behalf of the profession.

The final presentation of the evening was made to Richard Brindley who accepted, on behalf of the RIBA, a contribution from the Company to the Institute's Student Hardship Fund.

 

The principal guest was the Richard Summers - the current President of the Royal Town Planning Institute. In responding to the toast to the guests, Richard spoke about the issues facing both his own institute and the RIBA in connection with the forthcoming Localism Bill.

New City Architecture Award for 2010

 The winner of the Company's  New City Architecture Award given for the building or structure which, complete and free of plannng conditions in the qualifying year, makes he most significent contribution to the stretscape and skyscape of the City of London was Broadgate Tower and 201 Broadgate. Designed by SOM for British Land. The judges felt that this made the biggest contribution to provision of new public space in the City, partly because it had the greatest opportunity. The opportunity has been taken with relish.  

The development comprises a tower and horizontal block, with a glazed roof connecting them, providing a through route which links seamlessly to the rest of the Broadgate / Liverpool Street Station area.

The drama of the space between the buildings stems partly from volume, but in particular from a series of huge buttress structural elements which take load from the tower. In terms of scale this was the most powerful design the judges saw, but at the smaller scale of public realm, attention to detail was evident in the paving, seating, and lighting installation. Last but not least, the inclusion of  a raised lawn element, and a hanging garden wall now growing, was a welcome complement to the hard landscaping of a development well worth visiting.

This year’s judges - Paul Finch OBE (Chairman), Edward King (Master),  Dr Mervyn Miller (Renter Warden), Howard Copping, Michael Bailey were assisted by the Clerk, David Cole-Adams in making their inspecton and deliberations.

A high commendation was awarded to the redevelopment of the site known as The Walbrook bounded by Walbrook, Cannon Street and St Swithin’s Lane. The architect was Foster and Partners, the client Minerva. The judges regarded this as an impressive contribution to the City’s streetscape, partly because of the way louvres have been deployed to blur the junction between elevation and roof in a pleasing way. This is particularly evident from the restored public courtyard garden next to the building, where the geometry of the roof is most impressive. The large (visible) foyer on Walbrook was admired, as was the neat turning of corners. The judges looked forward to occupation of the retail space.

 

Judges wished to mention the retail and residential project at 12-18 Artillery Lane E1 and 120 Middlesex Street, admired for its brise soleil in the attractive shared courtyard space. A positive addition to the area. The Architects was ORMS, and the client Artillery Lane Ltd.

A commendation was awarded for a pair of projects by the City Corporation’s Street Scene Team. 

 The first ( pictured left), carried out in conjunction with Architects Freeland Rees Roberts is the relocation of the St Lawrence Jewry drinking fountain to the south of St Paul’s Cathedral, by Carter Lane Gardens. The juxtaposition of High Victorian with Wren was enjoyed.

 

 The second (right) is the improvements to Bow Churchyard, an oasis of relative tranquillity off busy Cheapside – the collaborating architects are Burns and Nice.

Presentation by the Company's Travel Award Winner

The winner of the Company's 2010 Stuart Murphy Travel Award - Linda Hagberg - gave a presentation based on her travels to an audience of students and members of the Company at Westminster University recently. A written report has been promised by the Master of Students.

In the meantime, the Master is seen here posing what was described as an awkward question following the presentation

while Linda is thinking before making her response.

Photos from the award assessment walk - 9 February 2011

St. Lawrence Jewry drinking fountain - relocated

New Court, St. Swithin's Lane and 'The Walbrook'

'The Walbrook' roofscape

Riverbank House, 2 Swan Lane

Cullum Street & 155 Fenchurch Street

The St. Botolph Building

The St. Botolph Building

Broadgate Tower, 201 Bishopsgate

Broadgate Tower, 201 Bishopsgate

Broadgate Tower, 201 Bishopsgate

Broadgate Tower, 201 Bishopsgate

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