The Learning and Skills Council, in association with the RIBA, announced Matthew Boulton College, Birmingham and Usworth Sixth Form College, Sunderland, as the joint winners of the prestigious Further Education Design Excellence Awards 2008.

Read the press release|

2008 shortlist

The RIBA LSC Further Education Design Awards celebrates design excellence in recently completed Further Education buildings.

The judging panel convened to consider over 15 entries and six college buildings were selected for the shortlist.

'The diverse range of entries show why the FE sector is such an exciting challenge for architects. Many of the schemes are located on difficult brownfield sites that form an intrinsic part of a town or city's fabric. Complex space demands have been well considered with a variety of responses to form and materials. How well the designs engage the building users will form a key part of the final selection.' John Walker, Walker Simpson Architects

The 6 shortlisted colleges were: