Best commercial project sponsored by Oval

The Brewhouse Education Centre at Burghley house near Peterborough is the first construction project ot take place at this fine Elizabethan stately home since the early 1800s. Given the site’s extraordinary historical importance, the building of a glass, steel and oak entrance pavilion was always going to be subject to the most intense scrutiny. Could the team’s skills live up to the tradition of English craftsmanship? The design team, led by Richard Griffiths Architects, worked in tandem with Peterborough council’s building control department to ensure that modern regulations did not interfere with the unique character of the listed building, a process that required the dedication of the entire team. This succeeded so well that the project managed to exceed the regulatory requirement in certain areas, such as disabled access.

The finalists

Rushmoor council - airport terminal, Farnborough

The Tag group set out to develop Farnborough airport as the UK’s finest facility dedicated exclusively to business aircraft. This ambition rested on the success of a £10.2m terminal building, not just as a transport facility, but as a symbol of Tag’s desire to give concrete expression to those techniques d’avant-garde that gave the firm its name. The form of the building, as conceived by Reid Architecture and engineer Buro Happold, is a large wing made up of complex curved beams, and Rushmoor Borough Council was on hand throughout to ensure that the client’s ambitions were realised.

The Miller Partnerhisp - the Brit Oval

Running thorugh an entire arc between an on and extra cover drive, this stand has set a new standard for the world’s test cricket grounds. Lambeth council are proud of the excellent working relationship that developed between the council and the design team, led by Miller Partnership, HOK, SKM Anthony Hunt and Taylor Woodrow. Or, in its own words, “The stand represents a marvellous achievement featuring sporting, conference and community facilities within an aesthetic and complex engineered structure consisting of a sweeping curved roof and an internal transfer truss all located beside a living screen”.

Foster and Partners - One London Wall

So complex were the issues involved in the redevelopment of this office building that it took 13 years to reach completion. As well as obvious problems, such as the fact that Livery Hall of the Plaisterers Guild occupied part of the site, the team led by Foster and Partners, had to devise a way to marry a complex structure to a simple and elegant facade. partnering was the order of the day from the beginning, and the design team worked closely with the contractor and the Corporation of London to ensure that the approval procedures were fully integrated with the design and procurement of the project, and the architect has paid tribute to the enthusiasm and knowledgeability of building control, and the part it played in resolving technical issues before they became technical problems.

Swansea council - Liberty stadium

This scheme was intended to provide state-of-the-art facilities for rugby and football, but also to act as a symbol of the city’s success in development as the centre of a successful commercial and industrial region. The design provided 20,500 covered seats in four stands, as well the all-important media suite. It is a testament to how well Interserve’s project team worked with the council that the ground was finished on time and budget – and equally appropriate that one of its first functions was to host Swansea building control’s Built-in Quality awards.

Chetwood Associates - Magna Park distribution centre

Developer Gazeley’s Magna Park in the east Midlands is Britain’s first, and Europe’s largest, dedicated distribution park, and is generally acknowledged within the industry to have set new standards in concept design and management. The park is immense - it will eventually cover 7.7 million ft² of floor space, filled with commodities prior to their onwards journeys to retail parks, shopping malls, high streets and supermarkets near you. Harborough district council played a full part in helping Chetwood Associates, the designer of the park, to realise the client’s enlightened ambitions, such as 25% reductions in carbon emisions and a 75% cut in water used – and do it on a fast-track basis.