King’s College received multiple wins for two recent college construction projects (BOED / FLICKR)
The Cambridge Design and Construction Awards 2020 recognized multiple buildings and conservation projects from colleges and faculties in Cambridge.
Construction commissioned for the Chemicals Department and King’s College jointly won the Best New Building Award for projects valued at over £ 2 million.
The annual awards are given by the Cambridge City Council and sponsored by the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry (CFCI). This year’s judging panel was chaired by Dame Fiona Reynolds, Master of Emmanuel College and former Chair of the National Trust.
The judges included architects and engineers, including Councilor Katie Thornburrow. Most of the panel, however, consisted of trustees from the CFCI.
The jury praised the building of the Chemistry Research Facility of the Faculty of Chemistry for overcoming difficult circumstances, describing it as: “A moment of joy and a building of architectural value in a difficult place that responds well to the context and problems of circulation within and between them solves the existing buildings and with a clever internal organization and circulation. ”
They gave this building the Best New Building Award and continued, “The materials are well chosen and detailed and will weatherproof well over time.”
The Cranmer Road student residence at King’s College was jointly honored with the Best New Building Award. The jury called this project, which was built to integrate with existing Victorian buildings, “an exceptional building with good materials and high environmental standards that will inspire others to follow”.
It was built according to passive house principles, which focus on energy efficiency and comfort. The same project also received the award for sustainability and engineering.
The college also received two awards for its most recent Bodley court project: the joint winner of the Craftsmanship Award and Best Conservation, Alteration, or Extension. As part of their restoration work, a slate mine in Northamptonshire was reopened to provide suitable replacement roof tiles for the buildings. The same project was named Roof of the Year at the UK Roofing Awards 2020.
The Old Granary and Counting House conservation and renovation project at Darwin College was jointly honored with the Best Conservation Building and the Craftsmanship Award. Commenting on the success of the project given the poor condition of the original buildings, the judges said: “The sensitive solution to these difficulties while at the same time preserving and improving the inner character to make it a delightful place to live and work.”
Fitzwilliam College’s MCR ‘The Grove’ received an award for its renovation and expansion efforts in the category of “Best Preservation, Modification, or Expansion,” while the Seeley Historical Library received the same award for its most recent repairs.
These awards were a departure from previous years, with much greater recognition for university and college buildings. At the 2019 Awards, only one university construction project, the expansion of the Simon Sainsbury Center at Judge Business School, won in one category.
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