Portsmouth Society Design Awards 2007

University Library is Portsmouth's Best New Building
Judging for this year's prestigeous Portsmouth Society Design Awards took place during September and we are now proud to announce the winners in the categories:- Best New Building, Best Restored Building, Best Landscaping Scheme.
Each year since 1987, with the one exception of 2000, winners have been presented with blue ceramic plaques which are unveiled by the Lord Mayor Of Portsmouth. To be eligible, schemes must have been completed by the 31st December of the previous year and they must, of course, lie within the boundaries of the City of Portsmouth.
Best New Building

This was the University Library; architects Penoyre and Prasad; client Ian Bonar, librarian; contractor Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd; Structural design and mechanical design: Gifford; landscape design Jennifor Coe.
A commendation in the new building category was awarded to Bill Sargeant Crescent, a development of a small block of flats and a terrace of three houses for the Portsmouth Housing Association, off Church Road, Fratton, by the architect Roger Boyce.
Best Restoration / Re-use

There were two winners in a the category of Best Restoration / Re-use of an existing building. They were the Aspex Gallery in the Vulcan Building, Gunwharf. Director Joanne Bushnell, architect Glen Howell, and the Liquid - Envy night club in the former Connaught Drill Hall of the Territorial Army, which had been saved from demolition by the Portsmouth Society after listing had been secured by John Pike, the city's conservation officer.
A commendation in the re-use category was awarded to a Casemate in Hilsea Lines, a number of brick-vaulted rooms in the old defence structure, re-used for band practice, with a specially designed sewage installation on recycling principles.

Best Landscaping Sceme
This went to the Blue Reef Aquarium garden and play area, Southsea Esplanade.

Special Developer's Award
There was also a special one-off Developer's Award given to Neale Brickwood for his outstanding work in Hereford Road, Southsea, which did not fit into any of our categories. It consists of a small new-built house together with the refurbishment into blocks of small flats of three large late nineteenth century houses, all very well designed using fine materials and in some cases specially made furniture.