2010 Peoples Choice Award Winner Photo: Hackney Council
Nominations are now open for Hackney’s Design Awards, celebrating innovative architecture and design in the borough.
Being one of the smallest but most densely populated boroughs in London, Hackney takes the design of its buildings and public spaces seriously. It is home to 29 parks and open spaces, 29 conservation areas and over 1,000 statutorily listed buildings, as well as a fifth of the land being used for outdoor recreation purposes.
The Design Awards first started in 2004, and seek to highlight the best new buildings and spaces, with particular emphasis on how the design contributes to the community.
Schools, residential buildings, parks and workplaces are just some of the spaces that can be nominated. Anyone can make a nomination, even if they are not a Hackney resident.
The kinds of design which are particularly encouraged are:
– new buildings- residential, commercial, community, educational, infrastructure or industrial;
– alterations to existing buildings- including extensions, refurbishment, conversions or restoration;
– parks, gardens, pedestrian or play/recreational areas that include structure design elements.
Mayor Jules Pipe says the council is “proud” to be supporting the fifth design awards, adding:
“We recognise the importance of high quality design and understand the difference it can make to the lives of residents and whole communities. We are committed to encouraging excellence in all development to ensure that buildings and public spaces throughout the borough meet our aspirations to improve the lives of everyone in Hackney.”
Nominations will be shortlisted and judged by an independent panel of environmental building experts. The only award which will not be judged by the panel is the “People’s Choice” award, which will be voted for by members of the public.
The winner of the last “People’s Choice” award in 2010 was Clapton Girls Technology College. The campus buildings range from 35 to 100 years old, and were redeveloped thanks to funding from the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Other winners from the 2010 awards included Bateman’s Row, the Bridge Academy, The Barn and Eco Garden, the City Academy and Stoke Newington Town Hall.
Nominations for this year’s awards must be completed after the August 1st 2010, and be fully functioning by July 30th 2012. For a full list of criteria, visit the Hackney Council website. The closing date for nominations is July 30th, and the shortlist will be announced in August.
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