Resilience and Regeneration: Four Buildings Revealed As RIBA North East Award Winners

Four North East buildings have won the 2021 RIBA Regional Award: a converted historic warehouse, a regenerated post office, and two new buildings. The winning projects show resilience and adaptability to the future—they were selected by the expert jury after being shortlisted and visited by regional jury chair Ben Elliott. 

The winners’ list features Tombola House by Ryder Architecture, Lower Mountjoy Teaching Centre by FaulknerBrowns Architects, The Beam by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, and The Bis by Group Ginger, which was named Building of the Year.

Ben Elliott hailed the winners of this year for their focus on “regeneration and learning”. He added that “The RIBA Awards North East winning projects are unique in form whilst flexible and adaptable in their design. They relate to their wider contexts, developing a sense of identity in the architecture in order to foster new working communities.”

“The jury is delighted to see how they have come to demonstrate resilience and positivity for the future.”

RIBA North East Award Winners

• Tombola House by Ryder Architecture

Tombola House by Ryder Architecture – Courtesy of James Newton

The £8 million Tombola House by Ryder Architecture, headquarters for a tech-based gaming company, also won the RIBA North East Client of the Year award. The jury said the overall design strategy of the building was “extraordinarily successful and indicates the intention to create a quality building which is grounded in its context, belonging not just to the users of the building, but also the wider city.”

Tombola House by Ryder Architecture – Courtesy of James Newton

“Internally, the apparent simplicity of the space belies the sophisticated overall design and detailing, which has been delivered with extremely high-quality craftsmanship. The company is building on its success through investment in an area that was not an easy option. It would have been all too simple to locate to an edge of city business park, but instead, the client and architect are reinvigorating this historically significant part of the city with an appropriate, contemporary character which is already proving to be a great success.” they added.

• The Bis by Group Ginger

The Bis by Group Ginger – Courtesy of Luke Hayes

Building of The Year, The Bis by Group Ginger, was celebrated by the judges for the excellent transformation and extension of the former Grade II listed post office in Hartlepool. 

Judges said: “The original post office has been treated with respect, but also rejuvenated with sympathetic restoration and extension which adds a sense of playfulness, externally signaling a new life for the building and providing a new focus for the surrounding conservation area and town.”

The Bis by Group Ginger – Courtesy of Luke Hayes

“Transformed into The BIS, it provides accommodation for businesses in the creative sector. The building is one of a series of planned developments by the local council, with the intention of retaining and nurturing local talent, building on the strength and reputation of the nearby Northern School of Art. The BIS Whitby Street Studios is proving to be a great success and it is easy to see why.”

• The Beam by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

The Beam by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios – Courtesy of Daniel Hopkinson

The Beam by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios is the first Grade A office to be built in the city for many years, and it is also the first building to be constructed at Riverside Sunderland; the former Vaux Brewery site now being transformed into an urban hub.

The Beam by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios – Courtesy of Daniel Hopkinson

Judges said: “The building’s design has a sophisticated and refreshing approach to sustainability and creates a healthy environment for its users. The office spaces are designed to be flexible in potential layout to accommodate tenants’ needs.”

“The Beam is a remarkably well-designed building which has been delivered within challenging circumstances. It serves as an exemplar for sustainable office design and successful speculative regeneration, and the key to this success is the way the design connects to its context.”

• Lower Mountjoy Teaching Centre by FaulknerBrowns Architects

Lower Mountjoy Teaching Centre by FaulknerBrowns Architects – Courtesy of Jack Hobhouse

The Lower Mountjoy Teaching and Learning Center at Durham University received praise from the jury for providing “an inclusive and welcoming environment for teaching and learning”.

Lower Mountjoy Teaching Centre by FaulknerBrowns Architects – Courtesy of Jack Hobhouse

“This is a substantial building in volume, but a clever and layered design approach has resulted in it feeling appropriate in its context where it could easily have felt imposing.” the jury added. 

The winning projects of the North East Regional award are now considered for the RIBA National Awards, whose winners will be announced on Thursday 9 September.