The SS Great Britain Trust Project in Bristol wins Best Public Service Building at 2019 LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Final

13.11.2019

Press Release

The project for the new SS Great Britain Trust building, designed by Alec French Architects and built by E W Beard was awarded the title Best Public Service Building at the Grand Final of the LABC Building Excellence Awards – one of the most recognised events on the building industry’s calendar.

A panel of industry experts judged a list of the highest quality projects and teams from around England and Wales to reward the best in technical innovation, sustainability, safety and design.

The site is in a prominent location alongside the famous SS Great Britain with Bristol’s Floating Harbour to the north. Originally occupied by three distinct buildings: The Grade II* Listed Drawing Office building, the Eastern North Range building and the Western North Range building. Working with the building control team from Bristol City Council, the contractor and architect have created an extension of the current visitor experience, enhancing and completing the setting of the starboard side of the ship.

Delivering the complex requirement of the brief involved a constructive and collaborative approach to the project from all concerned.

SS Great Britain LABC Building Excellence Awards

The panel of expert judges said,

"As well as an environmental choice, the Trust needed to keep running costs as low as possible. The installation of photovoltaics greatly reduce running costs for the whole of the site. The work has sympathetically restored the old dock offices to be part of the museum which includes a link to the new building which houses a café as well as extensive exhibition space. Since completion, the attraction has enjoyed a significant increase in visitor numbers."

LABC Chief Executive Paul Everall said,

"Our Building Excellence awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate good practice and they are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings."

The Grand Final of the LABC Building Excellence Awards took place on Friday 8 November 2019 at the Westminster Park Plaza in London and was hosted by multi award winning comedian Milton Jones. 840 building industry professionals including contractors, architects and engineers attended the celebration to find out which projects won across the 15 hotly contested categories.

These awards showcase buildings and design teams that tussle with complex technical or construction issues and building site constraints. They highlight innovative and creative solutions and building control professionalism that leads to safe, sustainable and high quality construction projects. Sponsors of the 2019 awards included Abbey Pynford, Actis, FMB, Home and Build, Jewson, Keystone, Keylite, LABC Acoustics, LABC Warranty, Planning Portal and Polypipe Building Services.