East Suffolk Council
Quality of Place award winners announced
Some of the finest recent achievements in conservation and design have been recognised as part of an annual awards scheme run by East Suffolk Council.
The Quality of Place awards, announced on Wednesday 20 November at East Suffolk House, in Melton, celebrate efforts to conserve historic buildings and enhance the built and natural environment of the district through high-quality design.
This year’s Community award, for any built or natural environment project designed to benefit the local area, went to Klondyke Skate Park, in Southwold.
The project, led by a local community group, transformed an underused site next to the Southwold Pier into an inclusive play space for all age groups and abilities, accessible all year-round for local people and visitors.
Designed to specialist standards for skateboarding, the park creates a nonetheless pleasant and dynamic gathering place.
Kirkley Pocket Park Group was Highly Commended for transforming an unloved spot beside an electrical substation into a more welcoming space, featuring flower-filled planters and a colourful mural representation of the neighbourhood and its residents.
Highly Commended recognition also went to the transformation of a disused church hall into The Chapel – a bright and spacious meeting place for the local community of Barnby – where effort was taken to reveal some of the historic character of the building during its high-standard conversion into a multi-use space, café and art gallery.
The Building Conservation award, for projects that aim to conserve and enhance the historic environment, went to the transformation of a decaying structure in the grounds of the Grade II listed Friston Hall into a summerhouse – involving many skilled craftspeople taking a staged approach, reclaiming items from the building and ensuring that the introduction of new materials was kept to a minimum.
Judges said the work had saved a 17th century building from advanced decay and ultimately from loss, with the implemented scheme not only consolidating and conserving the structure but enhancing the immediate and wider landscape at Friston Hall.
Highly Commended recognitions went to the to the reinstatement of five shop fronts between 198 and 206 London Road, Lowestoft, and to the carefully executed works completed on the first and second storeys of the town’s former Tuttles department store building.
Finally, the award for Design (New Builds) was jointly awarded to MAP Architecture for Creek Cabin, near Reydon, and to Mole Architects, for The Barn at Manor Farm, Stratford St Andrew.
Judges praised Creek Cabin’s striking complex of curved green roofs and agreed that its split-level design took full advantage of available river views while incorporating flood resilience and noise protection.
The Barn at Manor Farm impressed with its architecturally distinguished, distinctively contemporary design, which simultaneously remains barn-like in terms of scale, built form and use of brick and pantile as external materials.
Stephen Molyneux, East Suffolk Council’s Assistant Cabinet Member for Planning and Coastal Management, said:
“The Quality of Place awards are a chance for us to recognise efforts to conserve historic buildings and enhance the built and natural environment of our district.
“It’s a way for us to promote high standards in all forms of design, including planning, architecture, sustainable development, landscaping and community engagement.
“The teams behind these impressive projects should be very proud of their achievements.”