Excellence Awards 2023

Creativity, innovation, technical expertise and skilful execution

Now in its tenth year, the Schüco Excellence Awards is an established and prestigious showcase for the best in façade design, covering projects both large and small, in urban and rural locations, and designed by practices and specialist contractors of all sizes. Some of the Award categories have changed or been redefined over the last decade to reflect the evolving nature of the construction industry and the wider built environment. This year saw the addition of the Major Project Award for Schüco façades of at least 1,000-square-metres, and the Education Building Award returning to a stand-alone category for the first time since 2019.

2023 winners

Commercial and Mixed-Use Development

Health, Culture and Leisure

Education Building

Reception_Internal_Photographer_Lorenzo Zandri

Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse Award

Residential Development Award

Individual House Award

Individual House Improvement Award

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Major Project

Steel Building Award

Sustainability Award

Specialist Contractor Award

Overall Winner

Meet the judges

Excellent façade design requires imagination, technical expertise, skilful delivery and, above all, close collaboration. The latter is particularly important as, without the input of an inventive and rigorous architect, a responsive and forward thinking manufacturer, and a flexible yet pragmatic specialist contractor, façade designs will rarely if ever reach their full potential. Alongside these attributes, the Awards also highlighted the importance of good environmental design, including daylighting, solar control, ventilation, and energy performance; fundamental issues given our Climate Emergency. Chaired by Architecture Today editor Isabel Allen, the 2023 jury comprised architects Ingrid Petit (Feilden Fowles), Carol Patterson (OMA), Holly Galbraith (Níall McLaughlin Architects), and Barbara Weiss (Barbara Weiss Architects) – all previous Schüco Award winners – as well as façade specialist Steve Mudie (Alinea Consulting), façade engineer Anna Wendt (Buro Happold), and environmental designer Innes Johnston (Max Fordham). Stuart Hosier, National Specification Manager at Schüco, provided additional technical insight on the entries. In their assessment of the projects, the judges focused on four key qualities:

Creativity
Does the project demonstrate design quality, whether on a macro and/or micro scale?

Innovation
Is there evidence of significant innovation in terms of design, detail or constructional skills?

Technical skill
Does the project show high levels of technical skill in its detailed design and/or assembly?

Creative collaboration
Does the project demonstrate a productive and creative collaboration between the designer, specialist contractor and/or manufacturer?

Holly Gallbraith

Associate

Niall McLaughlin Achitects

Associate at Níall McLaughlin Architects, whose Master’s Field Development in Oxford was the overall winner of the 2022 Schüco Awards. She is closely involved in the practice’s higher education, schools, and private residential projects.

Anna Wendt

Partner and Global Director of Façade Engineering

Buro Happold

Partner and Global Director of Façade Engineering at Buro Happold. She works across a diverse range of sectors with a focus on interdisciplinary project delivery, bringing an empathetic, climate-conscious approach to building design.

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

Director

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.

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.

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.

Barbara Weiss

Director

Barbara Weiss Architects

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

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.