Winning projects include a conservatoire for the performing arts, three rural houses, and a sports centre

Hope View House, Worcestershire, by Warren Benbow Architects (phs: Lisa Lodwig)
“Though modern in its internal layout and finishes and state-of-the-art in terms of energy-saving, Hope View House is very much of its place, an impressive example of architect and client in harmony with each other and with the special qualities of their site.”

Mailbox, Birmingham, by Stanton Williams (phs: Nick Hufton)
“Eschewing the more usual free-for-all of different shop fronts, creating what often comes across as a rather forced indoor recreation of the high street, the architects have imposed a unifying aesthetic that draws together walls, floors and roof within a consistent palette of creamy white stone, plaster, glass and metal. To the usual clutter of competing signs and branded shop fronts the architects have brought a serene order which extends to the design of bespoke fittings integrating signage, lighting, alarms and security cameras.”

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (phs: Hufton & Crow)
“The architectural choreography of the Conservatoire’s complex brief…has been handled with a deft touch…producing a building that is surely destined to become one of Birmingham’s most actively used and cherished public venues”

Shropshire Residence, by Gregory Phillips Architects (phs: Mel Yates)
“Heir to an English tradition of grand country homes, this family house reinterprets the genre in a modern idiom. The symmetrical wings of the historic manor house archetype are disassembled as four separate two-storey pavilions that extend into the landscape in pinwheel formation from a central hall. This simple concept draws building and gardens together, enriching the experience of both.”

The Old Court House, Worcestershire, by Harrison Brookes Architects (phs: Rhys Brookes, Roy Hunt)
“When the client bought the house it had lain abandoned for decades and was on the verge of complete collapse. Conservation in this case was more resurrection and reinvention than preservation. The architect, builder and client have clearly worked with exemplary dedication and professionalism to bring a long-neglected house and piece of local history back to life and create a home of distinctive character.”

University of Birmingham Indoor Sports Centre, by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands (phs: Paul Riddle, Hufton & Crow)
“The centre provides a broad range of highly flexible and well equipped spaces that can be adapted for different sports and public events – a level of adaptability that in other sports facilities can sometimes result in a dullness of character, but here it is achieved with memorable civic spirit.”

Willow Barns, Stoke-on-Trent, by PRP (phs: Andy Marshall)
“Achieved within tight budgetary constraints and the strictures of PFI, Willow Barns is all the more commendable as a thoughtfully conceived response to a sensitive site and community of elderly residents. In a simple way, with a restrained palette of materials, the architects have drawn on the character of the area to give the residents new affordable homes with a distinctive sense of place.”