Some of the most groundbreaking new buildings across the UK have been shortlisted for five of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) special awards 2008. The shortlists were drawn from the 92 RIBA Award winning buildings announced earlier this year.

These RIBA special awards honour the best buildings with specific emphasis on: sustainability, conservation; exemplary school design; public spaces and smaller, exceptional projects built on limited budgets.

The winnrs of six of the special awards, including the Manser medal, will be announced as part of the RIBA Stirling Prize Dinner in association with The Architects' Journal  on Saturday 11 October, in Liverpool.

The shortlists follow:

The Crown Estate Conservation Award |

The £5000 Crown Estate Conservation Award is presented to the best work of conservation that demonstrates the successful restoration and /or adaptation of an architecturally significant building. The award was judged by Richard Griffiths, Richard Griffiths Architects, Paul Velluet, HOK and Tony Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards.

1. The Listed Wind Tunnels by Julian Harrap Architects
2. De La Warr Pavillion by John McAslan & Partners
3. St Pancras International by Alastair Lansley (for Union Railways)
4. Royal Festival Hall by Allies and Morrison
5. Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds by Levitt Bernstein Associates

 

RIBA/CABE Pubilc Space Award|

The RIBA CABE Public Space Award celebrates publicly accessible external space. It may be green or grey, urban or rural, privately or publicly owned, designed or re-designed and re-furbished for public use. It might be a street, a square, a park or even a corner, as well what is more conventionally thought of a 'space between buildings.' The award includes a prize of £5,000 to be presented to the winning team. The Award was judged by Sarah Gaventa, Director CABE Space; Tony Edwards, architect and landscape architect, Place; and Tony Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards.

1. Old Market Square by Gustafson Porter
2. Royal Festival Hall by Allies and Morrison with Landscape architects Gross Max and Master planners Rick Mather Architects
3. Royal Observatory by Allies and Morrison with Landscape architects Land Use Consultants

Stephen Lawrence Prize|

The Stephen Lawrence Prize is sponsored by the Marco Goldschmied Foundation and rewards the best examples of projects that have a construction budget of less than £1 million. The £5000 prize is intended to encourage fresh talent working with smaller budgets.
The award is judged by a panel including architect and past President of the RIBA Marco Goldschmied and Doreen Lawrence OBE, mother of the teenager who was setting out on the road to becoming an architect when he was murdered in 1993. 

1. East Beach Cafe by Heatherwick Studio
2. Classroom of the Future by Gollifer Langston Architects
3. Cremorne Riverside Centre by Sarah Wigglesworth Architects
4. The Sackler Crossing by John Pawson
5. Glass & Timber Houses by Hampson Williams

 

The RIBA/Sorrell Foundation Schools Award

The RIBA/Sorrell Foundation Schools Award is a prize of £5,000 to the architects of the best RIBA Award-winning school (primary or secondary) with the aim of raising the standards of design in all new school building. The prize which was introduced last year, was judged by Lady Frances Sorrell; Sarah Davey, head teacher; Tony McGuirk, BDP; and Tont Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards.

1. Oundle School Science Technology Block by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
2. Thomas Deacon Academy by Foster + Partners
3. Bristol Brunel Academy by Wilkinson Eyre Architects
4. Pinewood Infant School by Hampshire County Council Architecture & Design Services
5. St Marylebone Church of England School Performing Arts Facility by Gumuchdjian Architects
6. Westminster Academy at the Naim Dangoor Centre by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

 

The RIBA/English Partnerships Sustainability Award|

The RIBA/English Partnerships Sustainability Award is made for the building that demonstrates most elegantly and durably the principles of sustainable architecture.
The £5000 award is judged by a panel of experts comprising, Robin Nicholson CBE, Edward Cullinan Architects; Patrick Bellew, Principal Atelier Ten; and Kevin McGeough, English Partnerships who consider the environmental credentials of schemes as submitted by the architects and clients.

1. Oxley Park by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
2. Oundle School Science Technology Block by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
3. Bristol Brunel Academy by Wilkinson Eyre Architects
4. Manchester Civil Justice Centre by Denton Corker Marshall