Private homes, educational facilities and a bridge were amongst the winners of the 2023 York Design Awards, which recognise the city’s best architecture.
The 2023 award winners were announced at the annual presentation evening held this year at the Guildhall which was attended by more than 150 people.
York Scarborough Cycle and Pedestrian Bridge took the top honours, receiving the ‘best of the best’ Lord Mayor’s Award along with the award for Public Realm/Open Space. The new bridge replaces a 170-year-old river crossing with a wide modern accessible bridge for pedestrians, cycles, pushchairs and wheelchairs. Linking York railway station with Marygate and the city centre beyond it provides a seamless route from the station linking up with the city cycle network and major pedestrian routes. It has been designed to be always available, even when the river is in full flood.
The Anne Lister & David Kato Student Accommodation for 1480 students at the University of York also received two awards: Residential Multiple Dwellings and Public Realm/Open Space recognising the design of the gardens and lawns and the way in which the existing lakes and wild nature have been incorporated.
Another double award winner was the Digital Skills Academy, an extension to the Learning Resource Centre at Askham Bryan College in the Commercial/Community category and the Sustainability category. The new facilities at the agricultural college include a centre of excellence for mixed reality, a technology that merges the real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real-time. The building maximises natural light and ventilation and includes sedum matting and oak, York stone paving, zinc and handmade bricks.
A large number of privately-owned homes entered this year’s awards with Skelton Hall and 7 Tower Street both receiving two awards each.
7 Tower Street overlooks Clifford’s Tower and forms part of a Victorian-era residential townhouse dating back to the mid-late 19th century. It had been converted into offices but the Grade II listed townhouse has now been restored into a more contemporary home which will be commercially rented. It was awarded the commercial/community award and the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by the York Press, and voted for by members of the public.
Skelton Hall is a late Georgian Grade II listed country house that has been painstakingly restored. It won awards in the Conservation and the Residential Single Dwelling categories.
Chair of the York Design Awards committee Ann Reid said: “Congratulations to all our 2023 award winners. The judges were impressed with the standard of design and delighted that so many projects entered the awards this year. It’s reassuring to see the high quality of new buildings and restored projects in the city.
“I’d like to thank our sponsors, without whom the York Design Awards simply wouldn’t be able to run in the way that they do, and most importantly the people and organisations who entered.”
The York Design Awards launches every February with entries submitted for judging in May. The awards are organised by a committee of volunteers and all funding is provided through sponsorship and support from Shepherd Group and Portakabin, O’Neill Associates, LEDA, York Architectural Association, York Civic Trust, York Conservation Trust, City of York Council, The Partners Group, United By Design, Ravage Productions, Crombie Wilkinson, Fulprint, York Explore, York Press, The University of York, and The Churchill Hotel.
This year’s judges were Andy Davey from Simpson & Brown architects, sustainability architect Professor Brian Edwards from the University of Edinburgh, former conservation architect for City of York Council Janine Riley and Nicky Watson, a Director of award-winning JDDK Architects in Newcastle.
Take a look at photos from the 2023 Awards Evening, courtesy of Ravage Productions https://ravageproductions.
The full list of 2023 York Design Award winners is:
Digital Skills Academy, Askham Bryan College
Client/Developer: Askham Bryan College
Architect/Designer: Evans McDowell Architects
Builder: Ashcourt Group
7 Tower Street
Client/Developer: Integra Property Management
Architect/Designer: Fining Associates
Builder: York Builder
Commercial or Community (Large)
Wilberforce House
Client/Developer: Wilberforce Trust
Architect/Designer: KS Architects
Builder: William Birch & Sons
The Homestead, Bishopthorpe
Client/Developer: Jo Bennett (Owner)
Architect/Designer: Arkle Boyce Architects
Builder: CG Building & Restoration
Ferry Cottage, Bishopthorpe
Client/Developer: Tony Loftus
Architect/Designer: Shaw & Jagger Architects
Builder: York Builder
Skelton Hall
Client/Developer: Tom Sermon
Architect/Designer: Bramhall Blenkharn Leonard
Builder: Paul Thompson
Residential (Multiple Dwellings)
Anne Lister & David Kato Student Accommodation
Client/Developer: University of York
Architect/Designer: Sheppard Robson
Builder: GRAHAM Group
York Scarborough Bridge
Client/Developer: Network Rail
Architect/Designer: Network Rail Design Delivery
Builder: Amco-Giffen
Anne Lister & David Kato Student Accommodation
Client/Developer: University of York
Architect/Designer: Sheppard Robson
Builder: GRAHAM Group
Skelton Hall
Client/Developer: Tom Sermon
Architect/Designer: Bramhall Blenkharn Leonard
Builder: Paul Thompson
The Georgian Townhouse, Walmgate
Client/Developer: Beth Davies
Architect/Designer: Walker Graham Architects
Builder: Ebor Construction
Digital Skills Academy, Askham Bryan College
Client/Developer: Askham Bryan College
Architect/Designer: Evans McDowell Architects
Builder: Ashcourt Group
Foss Bridge House
Client/Developer: Owners
Architect/Designer: ONE17 Design, Will Slack Architecture & Design
Builder: Various trades – self-managed
7 Tower Street
Client/Developer: Integra Property Management
Architect/Designer: Fining Associates
Builder: York Builder
York Scarborough Bridge
Client/Developer: Network Rail
Architect/Designer: Network Rail Design Delivery
Builder: Amco-Giffen
