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University collects Civic Trust Award

The University of Kent's award-winning Medway Building has been honoured once more - this time by the Civic Trust.

The £7 million building, which houses many of the University's teaching facilities at its campus at Chatham Maritime, has won a prize at the annual Civic Trust Awards. Now in their 49th year, the awards are given to projects which are of social, cultural and economic benefit to a region, and also make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the environment.

The Medway Building, which has a highly distinctive brass-cladding design, was officially opened in 2005 by Dame Kelly Holmes. It is home to many of the University's state-of-the-art facilities, including recording studios used by Music Technology students, and sports laboratories run by the Centre for Sports Studies.

Judges noted it was 'a flagship building for the University' which was 'visually striking with a high attention to detail', and that it 'complements the brick of the nearby historic buildings'.

They also praised the Medway Building's environmental advantages. Solar control devices allow it to retain energy, while highly-insulated walls behind the brass cladding enable it to eliminate draughts.

In 2006 the Medway Building won a top prize at the inaugural Medway Design Awards for Best New Building, and was shortlisted for a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award. Other honours include a commendation at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards in 2007, and a nomination for Best Public Building at the latest Kent Design Awards.

The Civic Trust was founded in 1957 to promote high standards of architecture and planning, and campaigns for better places for people to live and work.

In this year's awards, a record 400 entries from across the country were whittled down to a final shortlist of 100, from which there were 30 winners.

The awards were presented at a celebratory dinner at Newcastle Civic Centre - itself a former Civic Trust Award winner - on 12 March.

The bid to the Civic Trust Awards was made by the University of Kent's architects, RMJM.

Contact: N.J.Ellwood@kent.ac.uk

Story published at 10:47am 17 March 2008