Michelmersh sponsors RIBA’s Sustainability Award 2021 – A mark of sustainability excellence

Michelmersh is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Sustainability Award at the RIBA Regional Awards 2021. RIBA’s Regional Awards are comprised of various awards, including Project Architect of the Year, Sustainability Award, Conservation Award, Building of the Year, Client of the Year Award, and region-specific awards. Over recent weeks, winner announcements have been filling social media feeds, congratulating and commemorating worthy winners.

Over the last 50 years, RIBA awards have recognised and celebrated the greatest architecture in the world, no matter the form, size or budget. The 2021 RIBA UK Regional Awards were announced between 9th – 26th August on RIBA’s website and social media channels following the shortlist selection for the 2020 RIBA Regional, RIAS, RSUA and RSAW Awards. All regional winning projects are now eligible for the 2021 RIBA National Awards and the 2021 Stirling Prize, which will take place later this year in October.

Supporting the RIBA Awards since 2019, Michelmersh is excited to continue to support the 2021’s Sustainability Award category. Sustainability is one of Michelmersh’s four company core values. Using modernised production methods that emphasise sustainable building solutions and adhere to the most stringent production requirements, Michelmersh guarantees high quality product standards with a low ecological footprint. With over 500 acres of land, Michelmersh encourages the re-introduction of habitats and wildlife to its former quarry sites, to allow nature reserves, lakes and natural spaces to flourish.

As a British manufacturer of clay bricks, providing highly sustainable, reusable, and recyclable building materials for inspiring architects, Michelmersh is proud to sponsor an award that reflects the Company’s commitment to sustainability.

The Sustainability Award is a highly accredited award for projects that go beyond statutory requirements and demonstrate elegantly and durably the principles of sustainable architecture. The RIBA award is judged on “meeting the challenges of climate change, resource depletion, pollution, biodiversity decline and raising our collective understanding of the measures that must be taken to integrate sustainable solutions within the management and curation of our built environment”.

Each Sustainability Award winner will be presented with a sustainably, locally and specially produced Michelmersh box, featuring the award certificate and a bottle of champagne. The special box is FSC-approved, made in the UK from sustainably sourced & recycled materials, and with water-based ink, to replicate the materials used by Michelmersh for all their samples.

Sustainability Award 2021 winners include:

North West

The Oglesby Centre at Hallé St Peter’s designed by Stephenson Hamilton Risley STUDIO.

The Oglesby Centre is a sophisticated piece of urban architecture, providing a new home for the Hallé, contained within a contemporary building that adjoins the existing listed St. Peter’s Church, Ancoats. Comprising of a reception and restaurant, concert hall and musical practice rooms contained within a timber and corten box, and a dramatic staircase leading to the upper level that is illuminated by a large glass roof, providing views of the adjoining church spire.

South East

The Fitted Rigging House designed by Baynes and Mitchell Architects.

A project to bring life to unoccupied floors in one of the two historically significant buildings of Anchor Wharf Storehouses at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Following the success of the project, The Fitted Rigging House now offers around 3,600sqm of 21st century office space, improved access to the Trust’s new library, and a brand-new volunteer centre, conservation studio and teaching workshops.

South

Bicester Eco Business Centre designed by Architype.

High-standard design and lasting sustainability on a budget. With a brief of zero carbon, flexible workplace, Bicester features undulating timber fins that offer solar shading to workspaces, an EPS-wrapped raft foundation, insulated with recycled newspaper, triple-glazing, Heraklith wood-wool ceilings, and nettle-wrapped fabric boards.

East Midlands

Stonecrop designed by Featherstone Young.

Feather Young’s original application of design is illustrated through the folding green roofs that appear to rise out of the ground and over the two wings. The large solid local Clipsham stone wall acts as a thermal buffer, and the two-wing strategy provides energy efficiency with only the main wing heated for day-to-day living and the second guest wing for guest stays.

Yorkshire

Leeds Playhouse designed by Page\Park Architects.

The Leeds Playhouse has been transformed by a radical reconfiguration and extension of the existing building to create a new face for the organisation and improve accessibility for all. The new façade of brightly coloured ceramics creates a strong visual identity that reflects the creativity and diversity of activity within the building.

East

Imperial War Museums Paper Store designed by Architype.

Architype’s next-level take on creating a new-build storage facility for the paper collections of Imperial War Museums. IWM’s responsibility to preserve over 100 years’ worth of collections for future generations is protected by impressive features of low-energy, optimal temperature and humidity, as well as a world-record of airtightness.

South West

The Story of Gardening designed by Stonewood Design.

The Story of Gardening is an ambitious, scenic underground museum, designed with South African steel and timber, a grassed roof inhabited by the estate’s deer herd, an impressive 5m tall glass bi-parting doors, and a curved walkway.

London

Eccleston Yards designed by Buckley Gray Yeoman.

A converted derelict car park surrounded by five buildings of varying ages, Eccleston Yards is now a vibrant, buzzing courtyard. The concrete paving leads visitors to new shopfronts and food pop-ups, creating buzz within the nooks and crannies of Belgravia.

Michelmersh is honoured to have sponsored the Sustainability Award at the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards for the past three years.

Celebrating outstanding architecture for over 180 years, the RIBA and its Awards are highly regarded internationally as a mark of excellence, recognising exceptional architecture, architects, research and students.

The RIBA Sustainability Award recognises advancements in environmental design. It distinguishes the finest new buildings regionally that showcase designs and projects that have gone beyond statutory requirements and demonstrate the principles of sustainable architecture. Architects are asked to address the wider aspects of each project’s myriad of sustainable features, describing efforts made to reduce embodied energy, improve social sustainability, and implement long-term energy monitoring.

Michelmersh believes it is important for both designer and manufacturer to address sustainability at every level; including the entire life cycle of the product, ecologically friendly material selection and low-energy production to distribution, use and after-use. It is for this reason that this national sponsorship is perfectly suited to Michelmersh’s ethos and reflects its commitment as a sustainable and environmentally responsible business.

Frank Hanna, Joint Chief Executive Officer of Michelmersh, commented:

“These awards have championed architectural excellence for the past 50 years, so we are delighted to support and acknowledge the regional and national winners. Sustainability remains an integral part of our business, through product development and modernised methods, the latest technologies and distinct designs, we aim to exceed the expectations of architects and retain our reputation for beautiful, durable, natural-looking clay products. We are thrilled to be involved in celebrating the best sustainable architecture across the UK with the RIBA.”

Michelmersh would like to congratulate all RIBA Regional Award 2021 winners and shortlisters.

For further information visit www.mbhplc.co.uk