Cornish Buildings Group & World Heritage Site Awards 2022

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 commended 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.

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.” 

The CBG has continued to partner 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. 

After much deliberation, Award winners for 2022 have been chosen and Dave Crabtree, Chairman of the World Heritage Site Partnership Board, 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. 

Our judges offer wide ranging experience in many aspects of Cornish architecture and architectural practice including conservation, design, environment, heritage, planning and research. When judging we evaluate the quality of design and/or conservation philosophy, assess the suitability of materials, appropriateness of the solution to context and the overall impact of the building.

We value entries that build on Cornish precedent or take such precedents forward in a courageous and aesthetically pleasing manner. This lively and vigorous process ensures that the Cornish Buildings Group award scheme maintains its position as a true mark of excellence.

These citations reflect our conclusions, commending some excellent work, while on others constructively offering thoughts on what might have been done differently.

For more details on the Cornish Buildings Group Awards Scheme and to see this and previous award winners, go to: 

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

CORNISH BUILDING GROUP AWARDS 2022

AWARD WINNER

• Treras, Nance, St Ives – Designed by Matt Robinson for English Heritage

JENNY GASON AWARD WINNER

• Rosemundy, St Agnes – Railings and gate by JW Engineering for Mr & Mrs J Boyden

COMMENDATIONS

• St Austell Market Hall – Scott & Co, Cathedral Builders and Wheal Netherton for St Austell Market Hall CIC
• Pentireglaze, St Minver – Stride Treglown for The National Trust
• Aqua Club, Newquay – Lily Lewarne for The Headland Hotel
• Medical Centre, St Erme – D3 Architects for The St Erme Medical

WORLD HERITAGE SITE AWARDS 2022 

AWARD FOR THE BEST CONSERVATION OF AN HISTORIC BUILDING

• Tavistock Guildhall (Tavistock) – Gillespie Yunnie Architects for Tavistock Town Council and Tavistock Heritage Trust

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF AN HISTORIC BUILDING 

• 1 & 2 Chi Tarder Karrek (The Showroom Building at the Holman No.3 Rock Drill Works) (Camborne) – Trewin Design Architects for Coastline Housing Ltd