12 November 2021

Cornish Buildings Group & World Heritage Site Awards’ Presentation at Kresen Kernow

Every year the Cornish Buildings Group presents awards for the best in good design in Cornwall, as illustrated through new projects and the conservation of historic buildings.

In 2020 the Cornish Buildings Group (CBG) and the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site commenced an awards’ partnership with the aim to grant special awards to highlight excellence in new buildings or restorations that have enhanced the World Heritage Site.

Awards were presented to winners for both 2020 and 2021 at a special event at Kresen Kernow, Redruth, on Tuesday 9 November.

Patrick Newberry, Chairman of the Cornish Buildings Group, said:

“Once again, a stunning set of new buildings and restorations has been submitted for the annual Cornish Buildings and World Heritage Site Awards, both new buildings and restorations of historic buildings. It is incredibly heartening that so much good design and conservation work has been carried out, notwithstanding the difficulties caused by the global pandemic. Cornwall should feel very proud of the quality of new design and conservation work that is being carried out within its borders.”

This is the second year that the CBG has partnered with the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site to give additional special awards to new buildings or restorations that have enhanced the World Heritage Site (WHS). The World Heritage Site is concerned with conserving the Outstanding Universal Value (international importance) of the Site, which dates principally from 1700 to 1914 as the period during which the most significant industrial and social impacts occurred. The ten separate Areas of the World Heritage Site together form a unified, coherent cultural landscape and share a common identity as part of the overall exploitation of metalliferous minerals here from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries.

The World Heritage Site Award winners are given in areas with high levels of multiple deprivation and represent how high-quality improvements in the built environment can be made, thereby enhancing the living standards of residents.

Despite the significant challenges of the pandemic, World Heritage Site Award winners for 2021 have been chosen and Dave Crabtree, Chairman of the World Heritage Site Partnership Board, presented certificates to both winners from 2020 and 2021.

Dave Crabtree said:

“The World Heritage Site are delighted to continue our partnership with the Cornish Buildings Group and the presentation of our World Heritage Site Awards. Both organisations have a shared goal in encouraging sustainable, heritage-led regeneration, both through conservation of historic buildings and the development of high quality, energy-efficient new structures that demonstrate how they take inspiration from our internationally important historic mining landscapes. We are grateful to the Cornish Buildings Group panel for undertaking the final assessment on the World Heritage Site shortlist last year, as this ensured total objectivity. The recipients of our World Heritage Site Awards have set an example for others to follow, and we congratulate them for their sensitive response to the special character of their World Heritage Site locations.”

Regarding the World Heritage Site, Patrick Newberry said:

“Working with the World Heritage Site, which does so much to preserve our mining heritage and to promote heritage-led regeneration is a great privilege, hugely reinforcing the Cornish Buildings Group’s work to encourage the preservation of Cornwall’s built heritage and to promote good new design in the built environment. Highlighting the best work in these fields is key to encouraging the sustainable development and management of our built environment.”

The Cornish Buildings Group Awards Scheme is Cornwall’s most prestigious architectural prize celebrating excellence in areas of architectural design and applied conservation and restoration work. Every year the Council of the Cornish Buildings Group considers a broad range of project types ranging from housing estates to bus shelters, informed historic conservation to radical modern design, and independent craft skills to small and large-scale repairs and renovations.

For more details on the Cornish Buildings Group Awards scheme and to see this and previous year's winners go to:

https://sites.google.com/site/cornishbuildingsgroup/home

CORNISH BUILDING GROUP AWARDS 2021

AWARD WINNERS

Tintagel Bridge – Designed by Ney & Partners with William Matthews Associates for English Heritage
Rosewarne, Camborne – Designed by Lesley and Reg Price for themselves
Headland, Polruan – Designed by Atelier 3 for Mr and Mrs Peart

JENNY GASON AWARD WINNER

Anchor Studio, Newlyn – Designed by Rolfe Kentish for The Borlase Smart John Wells Trust

SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS

Cusgarne Manor Farm – Designed by Jeremy Chadburn for Fiona Sherriff

COMMENDATIONS

Trelew Farm – Designed by Iona Manley and Steve Slade for Honor Riley
Chi Winder/Chi Vesta – Designed by Trewin Design Architects for Coastline Housing

WORLD HERITAGE SITE AWARDS 2021

AWARD WINNERS

Best conservation of an historic building