The Word, Market Place, South Shields wins at 2017 LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Final

The project at The Word, Market Place, South Shields was awarded the title of 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.

The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, is the centrepiece of the £100million 365 regeneration programme for South Shields Town Centre. The building, designed by Faulkner Brown Architects and built by Bowmer & Kirkland, not only provides a new resource and library facility but will act as a catalyst to bring in visitors from the wider North East and beyond through a rolling programme of events and exhibitions that will celebrate the written word in all its forms. At a time where libraries are closing and struggling to retain their user numbers, The Word is thriving. Library memberships were up almost 400% in the first month alone when compared to last year. Visitor numbers have surpassed 100,000 since its opening in October 2016, from as far away as the USA and Australia.

The three storey, circular cultural centre overlooks the town’s refurbished Market Place and incorporates a library and digital media space. It also boasts an impressive range of facilities including exhibition space, a computer gaming area, a FabLab with 3D printers and vinyl and laser cutters, digitised archives, meeting rooms, children's immersive storytelling area, OpenZone IT suite, café and a rooftop space and terrace providing stunning views over the River Tyne.

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

LABC Chief Executive Paul Everall said: “Our building excellence awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate innovation and good practice. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings. Our awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry.”

The Grand Finals of the LABC Building Excellence Awards took place on Friday 10 November 2017 at the Westminster Park Plaza in London and was hosted by Gyles Brandreth, writer, broadcaster, actor, and former Conservative Member of Parliament. Over 800 building industry professionals including contractors, architects and engineers attended the celebration to find out which projects won across the 15 hotly contested categories.

Find out everything you need to know about the LABC Awards

About the LABC Building Excellence Awards

The LABC Building Excellence Awards showcase buildings and design teams that have had to 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.

For media enquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact: Louise Williams louise.williams@labc.co.uk or Philip Hammond phil.hammond@labc.co.uk. LABC tel 020 8616 8120.