News from our partners: north Shropshire architects in international awards success

News from our partners Greenspace Architects Limited

Greenspace Architects from Ellesmere, Shropshire, have been awarded a High Commendation against international competition in the New Civil Engineer TechFest Awards 2019 at a gala awards dinner in London. The Award, in the Cities Visionary category, is for work undertaken with Shropshire Council on the visionary ONE Housing Scheme in Shrewsbury, and celebrates how technology and thoughtful, person-centred design can combine to help people live better, independent lives, regardless of age or ability.

The ONE Scheme – Aerial View from South East © 2019 Greenspace Architects Ltd

The entry was a close second to winners City of Helsinki 3D+ who went on to receive the overall Judges Award for the best entry across all categories so it was tough competition.

The New Civil Engineer said: “High commendations are not to be taken as lip service. To have been recognised by the judges as an outstanding entrant in a category, although not the winner, is an amazing achievement in itself.”

Only 8 out of the 18 categories recognised a Highly Commended entry in the 111-strong shortlist. The judges’ comments noted ‘strong synergies between the themes, scalable and positive impact on community and its people.’

Kevin Slack, Director of Greenspace Architects, recognised the role Shropshire Council has played in this achievement, both in the innovative, aspirational ONE Housing Scheme brief, and the work being done to harness digital technology across four Centres of Excellence that has been incorporated:

“We have risen to the challenge of an exemplary brief and the outcomes of pioneering work such as The Broseley Project to create an exceptional masterplan as a model to help Shropshire meet its housing needs in a low carbon, low energy economy. The well-being of the residents is at the heart of the brief, based on light, airy accessible homes set in car-free green spaces with good opportunities for social interaction and food production.”

Andy Begley, Shropshire Council’s director of adult social care and housing, said:

“The ONE Housing Scheme is something that we’re particularly proud of and we’re so pleased that it has been recognised as one of the best in the world.

“As many will know, Shropshire has an ageing population and we’re keen to address this by providing homes that people can and want to live in for longer.

“These proposed homes offer something really quite different to what’s on the open market today – they will be designed around the people who will live in them, built with thought and care, and within a welcoming community setting.”

Greenspace Architects Ltd were also runners-up in the recent Rural Business Awards 2019/20 for ‘Best Rural Professional Services Business’, and their design for a new highly efficient timber-framed house in Babbinswood, near Oswestry, has been shortlisted in the Build It Awards for the ‘Best Offsite Manufactured Home’, with MBC Timber Frames, with winners announced in November.

For more information contact

Kevin Slack, Director

Greenspace Architects Ltd

01691 623889

07717 704098

kevin@greenspacearchitects.co.uk

www.greenspacearchitects.co.uk