TWO new buildings at Bromsgrove School have won prestigious awards for their architectural design and suitability.

They were among a record 13 entries submitted for the Bromsgrove Society 2002 Awards which are given to highlight achievement in good design as a means towards raising the standard of environmental design.

The other winners were St Andrew's Church, Barnt Green, and refurbished offices for Thomas Horton and Sons, from a former decorators' stores in the Strand.

Holywell Primary and Nursery School, Rubery, was commended

The winners were announced at the society's annual meeting held at Avoncroft Museum of Building last Thursday.

Bromsgrove School won the award for its sixth form boarding house, at the end of Conway Road, and its three-storey art, design and technology block - visible from Worcester Road.

Society president, Graham Reddie, announcing the results, said the task of selecting the winners had been difficult and the judges had deliberated for more than nine hours before reaching their decisions.

A major feature of the hi-tech, low energy art and technology block he said, is its central atrium which provides top light to workshops and classroms. The design is used as a model by the Government's Building Research Establishment.

The boarding house, with south facing study rooms, is designed with a high degree of security and privacy. The project, which incorporates many low energy features, broke new grounds in that it used prefabricated bathrooms design jointly with the Italian manufacturers.

The attractive new entrance to St Andrew's, together with the adjacent new war memorial, took the judges' eye.

They felt it complemented the older structure and forms a distinctive front.

Solicitors Thomas Horton's shop to offices conversion was noted by the judges for its improved rear elevation and clever utilisation of interior space.