English Heritage Award for Sustaining the Historic Enviromnent

 

St Martin-in-the-Fields by Eric Parry Architects

Nigel Barker, Head of Regional Partnerships, English Heritage, London region, said: "The renewal of St-Martin-in-the-Fields was a stand out winner for this award – the approach taken by Eric Parry Architects recognised the symbolic importance of this historic building in the heart of London. The aspirations for the building were ambitious in the face of a complex brief but possessed an innate understanding of the sensitive, yet demanding, context of the site.  This combination of ambition and understanding of what makes this historic area special is a powerful starting point and it undoubtedly drove the project to its successful completion.  We have been particularly impressed by the careful balance achieved between introducing new facilities, open to all and maintaining the very special character of the building as a place of worship.  The project has secured both the physical fabric of the building but also its spiritual fabric so that visiting the site lifts the spirit."

In particular, it is the sensitivity with which new interventions have been introduced, like the glazed entrance pavilion which enables access to a foyer below ground and a reconfigured café in the crypt, that is impressive and they display a true responsiveness to the historic context as well as engineering ingenuity.   The light well that punctuates the space at the eastern end of Church Path, allowing light to flow into the below-ground spaces is particularly successful.

Nigel Barker added: "It is absolutely right that the St-Martin-in-the-Fields project has been recognised by the RIBA and English Heritage and its renaissance is an outstanding achievement for which all those involved should feel incredibly proud."

The award is jointly awarded by RIBA London and English Heritage| and is given to the building or other built environment project that, in the opinion of the jury, responds best to its historic location and surroundings. It is not necessarily a conservation award but the jury may chose to recognise exemplary conservation work. 

 

The Award seeks to celebrate a new building or an addition to a building that has worked particularly well with the history that surrounds it, with the urban fabric or the materials of the past. It is awarded to the highest quality architecture of the present day for the way that it forms part of and contributes to the continuity and history of its London context.

 

The winner of the award will be selected from the RIBA regional award-winning London projects which are in conservation areas or are in or are adjacent or in close proximity to listed buildings.

 

The jury will normally consist of the regional RIBA representative on each of the London award juries together with the nominee of English Heritage (London). The (non-voting) chair of the panel will be the Chair of RIBA London. The award is administered by RIBA London|.