Buro Happold involved in multiple RIBA Award winning projects

We’re delighted to have collaborated in many of the winning entries in this year’s RIBA Regional Awards. As this particular awards season draws to an end, we have already seen six of the buildings we worked on in the South West and London recognised with awards.

“Our warmest congratulations to our clients, who have inspired and trusted the architects and Buro Happold to bring these schemes to life. These awards are a credit to all the teams involved in these excellent projects. It has been great working within these teams on buildings of this scale and demonstrating this level of innovation.”

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London Regional Awards

UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture

Buro Happold provided MEP Consultancy, Acoustic Consultancy and Fire Engineering for this Hawkins\Brown project in Bloomsbury. A redevelopment of a 1970s building, it was adapted to double the usable area. The jury felt this was an extremely successful reincarnation of the building, meeting the complex currents requirements, as well as having the potential for future evolution involving the students. It was showcased at the Green Sky Thinking event last month.

South West Regional Awards

Given its Bath origins, Buro Happold was also very proud to have a played a part in almost one-third of the 19 shortlisted projects in the South West. Six were shortlisted, five won awards, and three of these were further honoured with special awards.

Wolfson Tree Management Centre (Sustainability award & Client award)

Buro Happold provided structural engineering consultancy for this Invisible Studio design, a new, purpose built tree management centre at Westonbirt Arboretum. Sticking to a tight budget, the centre was able to be built exclusively with timber from the Arboretum, thanks to Buro Happold working with the client to understand the timber management routine. The jury appreciated the way this project demonstrated the use of locally sourced materials to reduce the environmental impact of the build environment.

Wells Cathedral School Music Centre – Cedars Hall (Project of the year)

Buro Happold provided sustainable engineering solutions for this design by Eric Parry Architects. Due to the building being part buried, recessed into the grounds, the project posed particular technical challenges in terms of providing adequate light and ventilation, which Buro Happold was able to solve. Offering a main hall alongside interconnected flexible spaces for teaching, rehearsing, performing and recording, the new building complements its historic surroundings, already giving the impression of having always been there, changing in appearance according to the light.

Stihl Treetop Walkway (Client award)

Buro Happold provided the structural and geotechnical engineering expertise to ensure the success of this 284m treetop walkway designed by Glenn Howells Architects at Westonbirt Arboretum. The aim was to give visitors the opportunity for the closest interaction with the trees while minimising any risk to the trees during construction. Sustainably sourced and accessible, the walkway is built to be durable, using materials selected using Autodesk Robot software. The jury gave a mention to Buro Happold for its tenacity and vision in creating this national piece of architecture.

Dyson Campus Expansion

Buro Happold took an integrated approach to Wilkinson Eyre’s demanding aesthetic and technical brief for this project, combining cutting-edge input from many disciplines, including structural, infrastructure, utilities, building service and fire engineering, as well as acoustic and lighting design, waste management, and sustainability and environmental consultancy. The project provided a robust, adaptable framework with twice as much space for state of the art research and development delivered in various areas capable of adapting to future demands. The jury was impressed by the architects’ ability to respond continually to the ever-changing demands of Dyson, the global engineering design company, having worked with them for more than 20 years.

Buro Happold is an excellent engineering firm to work with. On all projects to date I’ve felt supported when needed and have never had to wait too long for responses. The input received has always been useful and applicable._{Stafford Critchlow, Director
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University of Exeter Living Systems Institute

Buro Happold monitored the design and installation of the facade systems and provided specialist advice to ensure they met the envisaged level of performance and quality for this new, world-class facility. Designed by Hawkins\Brown, it connects to a pre-existing building with a mixture of façade treatments. With the ethos of interdisciplinary and collaborative research at its core, the Living Systems Institute provides a variety of workspaces to allow flexible work patterns and encourage happenstance meetings. The floor to ceiling glazing makes it an outstandingly naturally lit building of its type.