Awards

We believe that good design matters and that architects have a great contribution to make to a better society. We also believe that the award system an important method for disseminating good practice and encouraging talent.

But:

BLA do not think that giving architecture awards, in the current way, is a good way of promoting architecture to the public. There are too many of them and often have spurious raison d’être. After carrying out research for our book we found that the awards system serves to perpetuate a profession out of touch with the public. Awards advocate that the only thing architects’ care about is aesthetics obscuring other possibilities such as environment, fit for purpose, what people think, innovation and positive impact on community and society. They are self-congratulatory. We do not think that the judging criteria of most awards take much or any notice of public opinion even though it’s the public who the buildings will affect.

Therefore:

1.BLA won’t enter any award until a building has been open for at least a year and the client/users still endorses the project. This is because we think that until a building has been in use for some time that it cannot be shown that it is worthy of any award. In the first year it can become clear that there are flaws either through function or fabric.
 
2.BLA are uncomfortable about awards that are given by the profession to the profession such as the RIBA Architecture Awards. This is because they tend to promote old-fashioned value system out of step with public opinion and held by small cluster of establishment ‘gatekeepers’. We think that they do not represent the profession well to the public.

3.We also feel that a number of awards are not robust in their criteria which does not seem to be set out clearly from one year to the next.

4.We won’t enter awards where the voice of the public is not heard.

5.We will enter awards where there is clarity of vision, where the award is to promote place making, people, regeneration and sustainability where architecture and the built environment are portrayed to the wider public in a positive and inclusive way.

6.If any of our clients wish to enter the buildings we have designed for awards we will not refuse our support, as we don’t believe in penalising our clients for our views.




2006 - RIBA White Rose Award for Best New Build for Sure Start Nursery

2006 - RIBA White Rose Awards Commendation for Wellfield Road

2004 - RIBA White Rose Awards Commendation for North Parade

2004 - Civic Trust Award for Yorkshire Sculpture Park

2003 - Rose Awards Commendation for Manchester Road Bus Shelters

2003 - Shortlisted for Pro-Yorkshire Awards for Manchester Road Bus Shelters

2002 - Shortlisted for International Transport Award for Bus Shelters

2002 - Corus Colourcoat Sustainable Development Award

2002 - Shortlisted for White Rose Award for Manchester Road Bus Shelters

2002 - Shortlisted for RIBA Award for Leeds Media Centre

2002 - Civic Trust Commendation for Leeds Media Centre

2001 - Leeds Architecture Commendation for Leeds Media Centre

2001 - RICS Pro Yorkshire Award for Tourism for Bridlington Promenade

2001 - White Rose Award for Small Project – 1 Church Lane, Leeds

2000 - RIBA Award for Architecture for Bridlington Promenade

1999 - Leeds Architecture Award for 31 The Calls Office Conversion

1999 - Commendation in National Civic Trust Awards – Bridlington Promenade