Excellence Awards 2022

Creativity, innovation, technical expertise and skilful execution

Once again, the Schüco Excellence Awards attracted high numbers of quality entries from a broad range of practices, despite the hardships and uncertainty caused by the pandemic. A key theme that came to the fore in this year’s jury discussion was that excellent facade design requires a multitude of carefully considered and well-coordinated elements – not least creativity, innovation, technical expertise and skilful execution.

Invariably this necessitates an adaptable specialist contractor with a can-do attitude and a responsive manufacturer with high-performance products and systems. Close collaboration between these expert parties and design teams can result in extraordinarily expressive and successful facades – as evidenced by the award winners.

In light of the current climate emergency, good daylighting and energy performance remain critically important when it comes to facade design. The need, therefore, to adopt an integrated and collaborative approach, focused on design and innovation, cannot be overstated and sums up the spirit of the Schüco Excellence Awards.

2022 winners

676_Sussex House_10_photo credit_Adam Scott

Commercial and Mixed-Use Development

Fire Station Auditorium facade - Andrew Heptinstall

Cultural Building Award

Health, Education and Leisure Winner

BWA_Shuco Award_Final Revision_03 photo Paul Riddle

Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse Award

Residential Development Award

Broadstone Quarry by A-Zero Michael Franke_MG_1166

Individual House Award

Lucy Wood Architects_St Lukes_1_David Butler

Individual House Improvement Award

Steel Building Award

Broadstone Quarry by A-Zero Michael Franke_MG_1111

Sustainability Award

Specialist Contractor Award

Overall Winner

Meet the judges

Chaired by Architecture Today editor Isabel Allen, the 2022 judging panel was again spoilt for choice when it came to evaluating worthy contenders for awards in each category. On the panel were architects Pankaj Patel, Ingrid Petit, Carol Patterson – all previous Schüco award winners – and Fiona Scott, plus environmental designer Innes Johnston, and Steve Mudie and Harry Montrésor – both of whom have specialist knowledge of façade design. Danny Fitzgerald, National Sales Manager: Commercial and Steel at Schüco, provided additional technical insight. In their assessment of the entries, the judges looked for evidence of four key qualities: Creativity; Innovation; Technical Skill and Creative Collaboration.

Fiona Scott

Co-founder

Gort Scott

Co-founder of Gort Scott, with extensive experience of working on mixed-use developments, heritage and retrofit projects, as well as projects in town centres and high streets. She is also one of the Mayor of London’s Design Advocates.

Harry Montrésor

Partner

Montrésor Partnership

Partner at the Montrésor Partnership with extensive experience and expertise in working with cladding systems on new and existing buildings as both an architect and façade consultant.

Steve Mudle

Partner

Alinea

Partner at cost consultant Alinea with extensive experience in the curtain walling industry. He provides strategic advice on façade solutions across all market sectors.

Carol Patterson

Diractor

OMA

Director at OMA, whose Brighton College project won the Education and Health Buildings category in the 2020 Schüco Awards. Current projects include The Factory, a performing arts centre in Manchester.

Prankaj Patel

Co-founder

Patel Taylor

Co-founder and director of Patel Taylor, whose St George’s Bristol project was the overall winner of the 2021 Schüco Awards. He has a special interest in ‘layering’ new high-density developments within London’s rich urban heritage

Ingrid Petit

Associate

Feilden Fowles

Associate at Feilden Fowles, whose Fratry scheme won the
Cultural Building category at the 2020 Schüco Awards. Current projects include a centrepiece hall for the National Railway Museum in York.

Innes Johnston

Senior partner

Max Fordham

Senior partner at Max Fordham with substantial experience of working on high-profile cultural and arts buildings, including Bristol Old Vic. He is also a keen advocate of Soft Landings.

Isabel Allen

Editor

Archtecture Today

Editor of Architecture Today and editorial director of BEAM (Built Environment and Architecture Media). She is a member of the National Panel for the Civic Trust Awards and an honorary fellow of the RIBA.