Worcestershire Architecture Awards 2024 - readers to choose

Worcestershire Architecture Awards 2024 are looking to celebrate some of the innovative designs produced by local architects.

The awards, organised by Worcestershire Society of Chartered Architects, recognise new architecture across the county.

This year The People's Choice award 2024 will be chosen by you - the readers of the Worcester News.

There are five public buildings in Worcester shortlisted for the award. To vote for your favourite use the ballot below. The deadline for voting is midnight on Friday, July 26.

They are:

The Old Fire Station - by kke architects

The Old Fire Station - pic Jansed Lacek (Image: Jansed Lacek / kke Architects)

The Old Fire Station, on the corner of Copenhagen Street and Deansway in Worcester City Centre, stands as a significant historical and architectural landmark. 
It was designed between 1939 and 1941 by renowned architects Ivor Jones and Percy Thomas, who also designed the former police station building directly opposite. The challenge set forth in the project was to creatively and ambitiously transform the existing structure into a dynamic mixed-use space that could accommodate commercial use on the ground floor and residential apartments in the upper levels, while maintaining its historical integrity.

Worcester Racecourse Weighing Room - by ONE Creative Environments

(Image: ONE Creative Environments)

This £3.5m scheme is part of a national initiative to modernise and future-proof facilities across all British racecourses to comply with the new British Horseracing Authority (BHA) standards and improve facilities for jockeys, valets and racecourse officials in an inclusive and neutral environment. The scheme includes a minor extension, but utilises the existing footprint by raising the building three metres above ground level to mitigate the flood risk.

Albert Residences - DJD Architects

(Image: DJD Architects)

This project saw the conversion of Worcester’s former Royal Albert Orphan Asylum buildings (and later YMCA) in Henwick Road to create unique high quality student living for the city. The Grade II listed Victorian Gothic buildings have been converted to provide 91 bedrooms while a new accommodation building was added, sympathetically styled to sit naturally alongside the original buildings, and arranged to create a social courtyard space linking with the common rooms to encourage interaction between all residents.

Bishop Perowne CE College - Herlig Architecture

(Image: Herlig Architecture)

Bishop Perowne CE College has increased its teaching accommodation to provide facilities for an increase in pupil numbers thanks to a budget of £2.5 million to
fund the expansion, and coordinate and construct the existing building refurbishment and new building works, was provided by Worcestershire County Council, where this substantial contribution enabled the school to assess its current building stock and pupil capacity, to determine the areas of the school that would most benefit from investment. It was imperative that the funds available were invested well, form part of the existing estate strategy, and the building works prioritised to create maximum benefit for the school.

 Worcestershire FA headquarters, Claines - Zebra

(Image: Zebra)

Zebra Architects were engaged by Worcestershire FA to design a multi -use building at Claines Lane, Worcester. The existing storage and changing facilities had become dilapidated over time and as such the design was to create a multi-purpose building which incorporated regional offices for Worcestershire FA, function rooms to serve the community in addition to new changing  and treatment rooms.  Accessibility is a key consideration of the scheme and as such, all surfaces and access routes have been designed to maximise accessibility for all.