Property firm Brockton Capital —owner of Birmingham’s upmarket shopping and office development the Mailbox — is to sponsor one of the UK’s most prestigious architecture awards. And following a further year of no prize money, the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Stirling Prize will regain its £20,000 reward in 2015 when it will become known as the RIBA Brockton Stirling Prize.
Presented annually to the “building that has made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture in the past year”, Brockton has agreed to support the prize for next three years.
“The support and promotion of great architecture helps to foster, harness and deliver the intelligent redesign for our cities that is so urgently needed across the UK and elsewhere,” said David Marks, a co-managing partner at the property investor and asset manager. Brockton Capital currently manages £650m worth of assets.
Welcoming his company’s chance to work with the institute, he added: “Last year’s RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist included the Park Hill flats in Sheffield and the houses at Newhall Be in Harlow, as well as previous winners such as Lord’s Media Centre in 1999, The Gherkin (pictured) in 2004, and 2011’s Evelyn Grace Academy have helped to address innovative design solutions in the places in which we live, play, work and study.”
Last year’s winner, Witherford Watson Mann, walked away without a cheque after its Astley Castle scheme scooped the high-profile accolade. It was the first time since the prize was launched in 1996 that the victor had not been awarded a £20,000 stipend.
Harry Rich is chief executive of the RIBA. He said the sponsorship deal marked a “new chapter for architecture’s most significant prize” adding that, “Brockton has a real commitment to architecture and the quality of the built environment and their support marks an exciting new chapter for architecture’s most significant prize.”
The winner of the 2012 Stirling Prize — which also has The Architects’ Journal as a professional media partner — was Gavin Henderson whose company, Stanton Williams, designed The Mailbox. “Brockton’s sponsorship of this prize is testament to their status as a client committed to achieving quality in the built environment, an approach exemplified by our current work together on the transformation of Birmingham’s Mailbox,” said Henderson.
The development is currently in the middle of a £50m refurbishment that will see a new roof, larger public areas and improvements to the surrounding infrastructure. Included in the Stanton Williams designs are a new 45,000sq ft Harvey Nichols flagship store and a three screen Everyman cinema.
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