Two of Cambridgeshire’s finest construction projects have been shortlisted for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) East of England Awards 2008.
Altogether a record 29 entries have been shortlisted from across the East of England and will battle it out at the final on Thursday 15 May.
Now in their 18th year, the RICS awards, celebrate and recognise exemplary projects across four categories – building conservation, regeneration, sustainability and community benefit.
The two Cambridgeshire projects shortlisted are:
• The Foyer (Wisbech)
PDG Architects has been shortlisted in the regeneration category for its Wisbech Foyer project. The Foyer is a very attractive building that blends into its environment and serves young disadvantaged people.
The three storey, seventeen bed foyer consists of bedrooms with en-suite, shared kitchen, living rooms, staff admin areas, interview room, trainee rooms and a café. Foyers are increasingly becoming centres for community education, providing an informal learning environment and professional support.
• Thomas Deacon Academy (Peterborough)
Gardiner and Theobold has been shortlisted in the community benefit category for its Thomas Deacon Academy project in Peterborough. The Thomas Deacon Academy was conceived as part of the LEA’s city-wide reorganisation of secondary schools.
The activities of two existing schools and one community college will merge, providing facilities for 2,200 students. The academy will specialise in mathematics and science, adopting a university-type structure with six units or ‘colleges’ of 365 pupils.
David Potter, RICS East of England operations manager, said: “The RICS awards is one of the most important and prestigious international showcases for the property industry. In the East of England we will be recognising and celebrating the projects that have led the way in helping to regenerate and conserve our region over the past year.”
“This year we have received a record-breaking number of entries and as always, all have been of a very high standard. The Foyer and Thomas Deacon Academy have done extremely well to be amongst the finalists and I wish them both the very best of luck in the final.”
The 2008 RICS East of England regional dinner and awards are taking place at The Old Palace, Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. All 220 tickets for the awards have now sold out and will be entertained by special guests, BBC presenter Janine Machin, who will be hosting the event, and John Spence, chairman of Harlow Renaissance, who will be delivering the after dinner speech.
The event is being kindly sponsored by ECA, English Heritage, English Partnerships, Inspire East and Ridgeons.
All of the winners of the RICS East of England Awards 2008 will go through to the RICS Awards international final in London later this year.
