Projects by Grafton Architects, Levitt Bernstein, and TODD Architects are among the winners selected by this year’s distinguished awards jury.

Now in their 11th year, the Schüco Excellence Awards attracted a broad range of high-calibre projects from practices both large and small. As ever, the awards celebrate both the aesthetic and technical brilliance of façades, while also recognising the collaborative effort that goes into making them successful, memorable and enduring. This invariably requires an imaginative and rigorous architect, knowledgeable and open-minded façade consultants, a responsive manufacturer with high-quality products, and a flexible specialist contractor with a ‘can do’ attitude.

Furthermore, as environmental performance, including daylighting, thermal control, ventilation and energy expenditure, assume ever more importance in the face of our ongoing Climate Emergency, recognition of this highly integrated and co-dependent approach to façade design has become increasingly vital and remains a central tenet of the Schüco Excellence Awards.

Chaired by Architecture Today editor Isabel Allen, the jury comprised architects Ben Heath (Grimshaw), Carol Patterson (OMA), Holly Galbraith (architect), and Vicki Odili (tp bennett) – all previous Schüco award winners – as well as environmental designer Innes Johnson (Max Fordham), façade specialist Steve Mudie (Turner & Townsend alinea), façade engineers Damian Rogan (Eckersley O’Callaghan Engineers), and Adarsh Raina (Ramboll). Dale Parker, National Sales Manager at Schüco UK, provided additional technical insight.

In their assessment of the entries, the judges focused on four key criteria: creativity, innovation, technical skill and creative collaboration. Does the project demonstrate design quality, whether on a macro and/or micro scale? Is there evidence of significant innovation in terms of design, detail or construction expertise? Does the project show high levels of technical skill in its detailed design and/or assembly? Does the project demonstrate a productive and creative collaboration between the designer, specialist contractor and/or manufacturer?

The winning and commended projects were announced at a live awards event hosted by Charlie Luxton on 27 June, and feature in a special supplement to Architecture Today issue 332.

Read on to discover this year’s winners and view the supplement for a full analysis and jury statements on each project.

Winning projects

Overall Winner

Project: The Parcels Building, London
Architect: Grafton Architects
Delivery architect: tp bennett
Specialist contractor: Structura
Client: Duke Street Properties
Photo: Nick Kane

Judges comments:
“This is an exemplary model for repurposing a building through thoughtful façade design and the clever use of standard Schüco products. The result is simultaneously fresh, contemporary and contextual.” Carol Patterson

“The sophisticated façade comprises an insulated, solar-coated Schüco curtain walling system dressed in a series of finely crafted chamfered stone fins of varying depth to deliver a high-performance envelope born out of fabric-first principles to target a net zero carbon agenda.” Holly Galbraith

“This is a high-quality retrofit scheme combining natural stone with reconstituted precast concrete and complemented by Schüco curtain walling, including project-specific capping, interface detailing, and doors – all crafted by Structura.” Steve Mudie

Commercial and Mixed-Use Development Winner

Project: Chancery House, London
Architect: de Metz Forbes Knight
Specialist contractor: Vision Architectural Glazing Installations
Client: Fora
Photo: Jack Hobhouse

The judges applauded the project’s sophistication and subtlety, as well as the skilful way in which standard Schüco products have been adapted and combined to create highly integrated, compositionally elegant, and well executed façade solutions.

Health, Culture and Leisure Buildings Winner

Project: Bristol Beacon, Bristol
Architect: Levitt Bernstein
Specialist contractor: Apex Security Engineering
Client: Bristol Music Trust
Photo: Tim Crocker

The judges applauded the project team’s sensitive and skilful approach to façade restoration, which has given this culturally important building a new lease of life. They felt that the apparent simplicity of the fenestration solution belied its considerable technical and aesthetic achievements.

Education Building Winner

Project: Queen’s Business School Student Hub, Belfast
Architect: TODD Architects
Specialist contractor: Walsin
Client: Queen’s University Belfast
Photo: Donal McCann

The project was applauded by the jury for its clever and consistent use of Schüco products and systems, which contributed in no small way to what is a beautifully detailed and highly resolved education building.

Education Building Commendation

Project: Quadrangle Building, King’s College London
Architect: Hall McKnight
Specialist contractor: Fabrite Solutions
Client: King’s College London
Photo: Johan Dehlin

The jury applauded the transformative nature of the project, as well as the considered use of Schüco façade systems to deliver outstanding aesthetic, environmental, and safety performance.

Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse Winner

Project: The Parcels Building, London
Architect: Grafton Architects
Delivery architect: tp bennett
Specialist contractor: Structura
Client: Duke Street Properties
Photo: Nick Kane

The project’s accomplished contextual and environmental response was praised by the judges, as was the clever adaptation of standard Schüco products to augment the elegant and refined façade design. They were also highly impressed by the scale and levels of fit and finish achieved throughout the project.

Residential Development Winner

Project: One St Brelade, Jersey
Architect: Axis Mason, Castletree Group
Specialist contractors: Murus Facades, Style Windows
Client: Hawk
Photo: Andy le Gresley

The jury complimented the seamless integration of a number of different Schüco systems into a visually-striking yet coherent project. It was also impressed by the building’s curved glass corners and the level of environmental performance achieved using ‘off-the-shelf’ façade systems.

Individual House Winner

Project: Reciprocal House, London
Architect: Gianni Botsford Architects
Specialist contractors: Aumaxum Architectural Glazing, MGI (UK)
Photo: Schnepp Renou

Praising the project for a ‘a series of smart moves’, the judges were impressed by its ability to complement the Foster extension while retaining its own distinct identity. They acknowledged the importance of the Schüco façade systems in achieving this delicate balance.

Individual House Improvement Winner

Project: The Saddlery, London
Architect: Studio Octopi
Specialist contractor: IQ Glass
Photo: Agnese Sanvito

The judges were impressed by the originality and elegance of this small but inventive project. Special praise was reserved for its bold and confident use of colour, the complementary nature of the Schüco products specified, and the carefully considered detailing that ties all the elements together.

Major Project Winner

Project: TTP Campus, Melbourn
Architect: Sheppard Robson
Specialist contractor: MTW Architectural
Client: TTP
Photo: Hufton+Crow

The project wowed the judges with its compositional rigour, high-quality detailing, and environmental responsiveness. They were also impressed by amount and quality of design input from the specialist contractor.

Specialist Contractor Winner

Project: Science and Engineering Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Specialist contractor: Charles Henshaw & Sons
Architect: BDP
Client: Manchester Metropolitan University
Photo: Craig Smith

The judges complimented Charles Henshaw & Sons’ extensive design and technical input on the project, which it felt went above and beyond what is usually required of a specialist contractor. Additional praise was given to the skilful and convincing integration of the different façade elements.

Steel Project Winner

Project: Project Nash, London
Architect: AHMM
Specialist contractor: Propak Architectural Glazing
Client: The Portman Estates
Photo: Kilian O’Sullivan

The judges commended the project for its clear-sighted vision, attention to detail, masterful use of Jansen steel systems, and high-quality execution.

Sustainability Winner

Project: Holbein Gardens
Architect: Barr Gazetas
Specialist contractor: Glass Box Facades
Client: Grosvenor
Photo: Philip Vile

The judges were highly impressed by the project teams’ carefully considered façade retention strategy, and the key role played by Schüco window and door systems in ensuring the building’s long-term environmental performance.