Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool scoops top Royal Institute of British Architects award
Hope Street venue’s £13.8m refurbishment was one of seven winners across the North West chosen from a shortlist of 12 which also included Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall’s £13.8m refurbishment is one of seven winners in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) 2017 North West Awards.
The judging panel visited all 12 shortlisted buildings in April and reached a decision to award seven RIBA Regional Awards at a ceremony at the Manchester School of Art on Wednesday evening.
Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre has also been shortlisted following its four-stage renovation programme costing £11.9m.
Located in Hope Street, the Philharmonic Hall underwent an extensive revamp which included the creation of a new venue called The Music Room.
Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building, Manchester by Foster + Partners, took home the coveted North West Building of the Year Award sponsored by Marley Eternit, won last year by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool by BDP.
The full list of winners (in alphabetical order):
- Chetham’s School of Music – Stoller Hall, Manchester by Stephenson Studio
- City Football Academy, Manchester by Rafael Viñoly Architects
- Finlays Warehouse, Manchester by Stephenson Studio
- Liverpool Philharmonic, Liverpool by Caruso St John Architects
- Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building, Manchester by Foster + Partners
- Oldham Town Hall, Oldham by BDP
- Stubbs Mill, Manchester by Sixtwo Architects
North West regional Jury Chair, Graham Morrison, commented: “This year’s awards represent two parallel but linked trends.
“One is characterised by a dominant interest in the value of re-used existing buildings that benefit from regeneration.
“The other is the regenerative effect of new buildings themselves. Though ‘ordinary’ buildings such as housing or offices are coming close to an award-winning level, they are, in their nature, ‘pathfinders’ and there is an understandable caution in their level of investment.
“This risk pattern favours the existing buildings that more obviously benefit from previous investment but when this caution is eclipsed by confidence, the truly exceptional emerges and this is evidenced by this year’s overall winner.”