2019 Project of the Year: RICS Awards, South East

We are delighted to announce the RICS Project of the Year 2019, South East - Westgate, Oxford - along with the winners and highly commended for the RICS Awards 2019, South East.

A diverse range of the South East's most impressive and community beneficial property projects battled it out for top honours at the annual awards, which were supported by headline sponsor, Sika, and held at Hilton Hotel at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton.

Project of the Year - Westgate, Oxford

Westgate is a large shopping centre made up of four individual retail blocks, tied together by public spaces, operating as a single entity. It has been very successful commercially. It was not easy to integrate a development of this magnitude into an area of much smaller properties. Innovative features include the collaboration of five major architectural firms, the successful emphasis on sustainable design, and a large, well landscaped, roof terrace with extensive views over the City.
Westgate Oxford has provided a new architectural legacy, acting as a catalyst for further expansion and regeneration in the southwest quarter of the city including future development on Oxpens Road.

RICS judges said commended the work of the project team - Gardiner and Theobald, JV - BDP Masterplanner / Glenn Howells / Panter Hudspith / Allies and Morrison, Dixon Jones, Westgate Oxford Alliance (LandSec and The Crown Estate), BDP Architects - in successfully integrating the new buildings within a surrounding area of smaller properties and reinstated the routes of previous historic streets.

Spot yourself: explore our image gallery from this year's ceremony

Category winners and highly commended entries

Building Conservation

The Vyne, Basingstoke

Following a year of detailed preparation, this fine Tudor mansion has been re-roofed and conserved, utilizing traditional techniques and materials, echoing those employed in its original construction. The work was skilfully executed under the gaze of almost 150,000 visitors who were able to witness the project unfold before their very eyes from a fully accessible 360° scaffold walkway

RICS Judges praised the projects team's - National Trust, Nick Cox Architects and Ken Biggs Contractors Ltd - careful attention to detail and investigations before the contract started. This ensured a highly quality scheme coming in under budget.

Commercial

Westgate, Oxford

Westgate arranges a series of individual retail and leisure blocks, tied together by public spaces and urban fabric that operate as a single entity. Due to its scale this unique shopping centre, with its variety and richness of architecture, was achieved through a collaborative approach involving a number of architects.The public spaces integrate with the surrounding streets to form a cross weave of arcades and lanes, linking the blocks and connecting the different areas of the historic city.

Highly Commended: University of Kent Student Hub, Canterbury

Community Benefit

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership Kitchen

This non-profit organisation works with a variety of partners to deliver programmes championing healthy food, plot-to-plate growing and connecting people through eating. The Community Kitchen, funded by charitable donations, transformed a collection of dated offices into a friendly, safe and welcoming space that inspires people; "a great space to cook in but also a place with a heart."

Judges said the project team - MacConvilles Surveying, Claire Potter Designs, The Brighton and Hove Food, Cheesmur Building Contractors - created a purpose built and fully accessible community kitchen offering everyone the opportunity to learn about, share and enjoy food and improve their confidence and skills both in the kitchen and social situations.

SE CommunityKitchenMichael Bremner Class46.JPG — Brighton & Hove Food Partnership Kitchen

Design through Innovation

Sevenoaks School Science and Technology Centre and Global Study Centre

Sevenoaks School's £23M Science and Technology Centre and Global Study Centre offers 30 glass-fronted laboratories and workshops are arranged around a top-lit atrium, with all activities visible within. The building is conceived as a science workshop; a place for experimentation and discovery. Day-lit and naturally ventilated throughout, it has an expressive structure, and durable natural materials.

RICS Judges were impressed with the project team's - Bristow Johnson, Tim Ronalds Architects, Sevenoaks School Foundation, Gilbert-Ash, Tim Ronalds Architects – delivery including a very impressive full height central atrium, a multi-purpose hall, technology workshops.

Highly Commended: Rutherford Cancer Centre, Reading

SE Sevenoaks_Tim Ronalds Architects_credit Helene Binet.jpg — Sevenoaks School Science and Technology Centre and Global Study Centre

Regeneration

The Lexicon, Bracknell

The Lexicon is the complete transformation of a town centre changing people's perceptions of it as a hard and stark environment to one that brings the nature and greenery of the surrounding area into Bracknell, creating a welcoming and inviting new face for the town. that has received significant economic boost.

Judges commended the team - JV – BDP / Concept Architect / Monitoring Architects / Concept Architect, Mace, Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (Legal & General and Schroders), JV - Legal & General and Schroder UK Real Estate Fund - on creating a truly transformational scheme which has completely changed people's perception of Bracknell's town centre and its retail offer.

Residential property

Quebec Park, Bordon

The project delivers 100 homes and 100 jobs for the local community, including the conversion of two existing barracks buildings into a community employment hub and café. The scheme establishes an exemplar zero carbon strategy for future developments and is being used as a test bed for an innovative new analytical process aimed at reducing the performance gap between design and construction.

Judges praised the project team - Boulter Mossman, Architecture PLB, Radian, Drew Smith Ltd - for the effort made to create not just a housing development, but a self-sustaining community.

SE Quebec Park 2.jpg — Quebec Park, Bordon

Tourism & Leisure

Battle of Britain Bunker Visitor Centre, Uxbridge

The building provides facilities to showcase the Grade I listed Battle of Britain Bunker. By providing education and exhibition space, this ensures that people of all ages and abilities can experience the Bunker and learn about the important history it played in the Battle of Britain.

RICS judges commended the exemplary collaboration of the project team - Faithful+Gould, Pattern Architects, London Borough of HIllingdon, Volker – in creating new visitor centre has a bold, contemporary design, which houses an extensive first-class exhibition, with interactive displays, along with a full-sized Spitfire and Hurricane.