Entry Categories
Building Categories
Commercial & Leisure
This category is open to projects such as museums, theatres, leisure centres, shops, hotels, bars, restaurants and offices. Past winners have included Storey’s Field Centre & Eddington Nursery by MUMA and Royal Opera House ‘Open Up’ by Stanton Williams.
Education & Public Sector
Examples might include schools, universities, government buildings, hospitals and religious buildings. Past winners have included Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre by Niall McLaughlin Architects and Cambridge Central Mosque by Marks Barfield Architects.
Interiors
This category includes fitted interiors in all types of buildings. Examples might include fitted kitchens, bespoke staircases and hotel lobbies. Previous winners have included Royal Academy of Music Theatre & New Recital Hall by Ian Ritchie Architects Ltd and Battersea Arts Centre by Haworth Tompkins.
Private
This category includes privately funded projects for non-commercial clients. Examples include residential property, new builds and extensions. Past winners have included Old Shed New House by Tonkin Liu and Cork House by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton.
Small Project
This category includes any small project, however funded. Examples include studios, garden buildings or designed projects for special event. Past winners have included Look! Look! Look! by Studio Morison and MultiPly by Waugh Thistleton Architects.
Furniture & Product Categories
Bespoke
Single pieces or ensembles from individual designer/makers, small workshops or larger manufactures can be entered. Pieces entered into the bespoke category must be a unique single piece or commissioned work. Anyone involved may enter any piece(s) with the permission of the current owner. Fitted furniture must be located in the UK. Past winners have included CLEFT by Peter Marigold and Tadanori Tozawa and The Kissing Benches by Alison Crowther.
Production Made
Pieces or ensembles from individual designer/makers, small workshops or larger manufactures can be entered. Projects entered in the Production Made category must have been made with batch production in mind, they do not necessarily need to be in production at the moment. Anyone involved may enter any piece(s) with the permission of the designer and manufacture. Past winners have included Ballot Chair designed by Barber & Osgerby and produced by Isokon Plus and Ian McChesney Bench produced by Benchmark.
Student Designer - POSTPONED UNTIL 2022
This category is open to anyone currently in education or who has left education in the past 12 months. There are two cash prizes for this category, £1000 for the winner and £500 for the people’s choice. Past winners have included graduates from the Building Crafts College and Central St Martins. The Student Designer category has been postponed until 2022 to help students who have been affected by covid disruptions.
Other Awards
Gold Award
The Gold Award is winner of winners and chosen by the judges from the all category and award winners. Previous recipients include Storey’s Field Centre & Eddington Nursery by MUMA and Cork House by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton.
Structural Award
A Structural Award is given at the judges discretion to a project that has a worth structure. Past winners have included The Macallan Distillery & Visitor Experience by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and House in a Garden by Gianni Botsford Architects.
Existing Building Award
The Existing Building category was dropped in 2016 and is now given as an award to a worthy conservation, restoration or reuse project. Past winners have included The Studio by Bradley Van Der Straeten Architects and Ansty Plum by Coppin Dockray .
Judges' Special Award
The judges retain the right to award a Judges’ Special Award to any entered project that is worthy of merit. Past winners have included BSkyB Believe in Better Building by Arup and Woodland Classrooms, Belvue School by Studio Weave.