FX AWARDS 2016: THE WINNERS
Public Sector
Winner: Boardman House
by Hudson Architects
Image: Joakim Boren
Sponsored by Ecophon
Boardman House is a refurbishment of a large Grade II listed building in Norwich city centre that offers a new home for Norwich University of the Arts’ expanding architecture programme, as well as state of the art facilities for the University’s media faculty.
Externally, the Neoclassical facades are largely untouched, while internal features such as Boardman’s original staircase – now suspended above the entranceway - provide a quirky reminder of the building’s history.
The main feature is a grand, double height central atrium encircled by a gallery, which acts as a focus for the internal arrangement. This space opens up to the vaulted ceiling, where replaced rooflights flood the area beneath with daylight
A key new intervention is a feature staircase which pierces the balustrade and connects the two floors. The staircase acts as a sculptural object beyond its practical purpose, with carefully detailed oak treads, set into a steel balustrade with a delicate water-cut pattern that echoes the highly decorated gallery balustrade.
The judges said:‘Very fine grained detailed work. Almost academic in approach. Love the celebration of the staircase. Nicely contextual and sympathetic. A very impressive refurbishment and a very delicate intervention of clean contemporary detailing on a historic canvas.’
Finalists & judges' comments
Thistle Foundation by 3D Reid
‘Warm, bright, pleasant environment. Well proportioned, dividable, flexible
Laidlaw Library by ADP and DLA Architecture
‘Great mix of materials and use of space for a range of reading and collaboration environs’
Ryerson University by Gow Hastings Architects
‘Spectacular refurb makes a refreshing interior’ ‘Screens and graphics animate the space’
King’s College London Mathematics School by Haverstock
‘Nice scheme in a constrained spatial environment, working with a lot of top light’
Tottenham UTC by Surface to Air Architects
‘A creative state-of-theart learning facility that closely mirrors a genuine workplace’
AnovoCare by The Drawing Room Interiors
‘Clean and comfortable, with a good range of practical furniture’
