Out of 37 schemes that were entered for the RSUA Design Awards in 2018, 21 have been shortlisted for further consideration for an award.
Throughout April all shortlisted schemes will be visited by the judging panel. The winners of this year’s RSUA Design Awards will be announced at a ceremony on 18th May 2018 at the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, which was designed by local architect John McGeagh along with Edward Maufe of London and won a RIBA Architecture Medal in 1950.
Ciarán Fox, Director of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA), said,
“This year’s shortlist takes in a wonderful range of project types and budgets ranging from a distinctive house for £100k in Belfast to a £75m hospital in Omagh. There are also a number of fine examples of conservation of our historic built environment which add so much to the character of the region.”
“Conditions for architects working in Northern Ireland have remained challenging over the last year but there is growing appreciation amongst clients and policy makers in the region that investing intelligently in design quality delivers tangible benefits to a project and to society.”
“The judging panel have decided to visit as many projects as possible because it is not until you’ve experienced a building and met with the client that you can get a true sense of its merits. Nonetheless some difficult decisions had to be made and I would like to thank those who took the time and effort to enter this year’s competition who have not been shortlisted on this occasion.”
A list of the 21 shortlisted projects can be found below. To view images of the projects please click: https://riba.box.com/v/RSUAShortlist2018
All of these buildings are potential RSUA Design Award winners. If they are successful, they will be in the running to win the Liam McCormick Prize – Northern Ireland’s building of the year and will be considered for a UK-wide RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, the results of which will be announced in June.
The buildings that have been shortlisted are:
| Project Name | Location | Architect |
| Arvalee School and Resource Centre | Omagh | Isherwood + Ellis |
| Castle Tower School | Ballymena | Isherwood + Ellis |
| Corriewood Private Clinic | Castlewellan | McGurk Architects |
| County Down Barn | Newtownards | Micah T Jones Architect |
| Main Site Tower and Peter Froggatt Centre, QUB | Belfast | TODD Architects |
| Maison Wedge | Killinchy | BGA Architects Ltd |
| New Paediatrics Ward, Craigavon Area Hospital | Craigavon | TODD Architects |
| Newry Leisure Centre – Phase 2 | Newry | Kennedy FitzGerald Architects LLP |
| no 37 | Belfast | FAMILY architects designers makers |
| Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex | Omagh | TODD Architects with Hall Black Douglas |
| Parkes House | Greenisland | Dickson FitzGerald |
| QUB Computer Sciences Building | Belfast | Kennedy FitzGerald Architects |
| Rosemount Mews | Greyabbey | GM Design Associates Limited |
| Scrabo Clachan | Newtownards | BGA Architects Ltd |
| Sportlann | Belfast | ARdMackel Architects |
| St Bronagh’s Primary School | Rostrevor | DON architects |
| The Junction, Community Peace Building | Dungannon | Hall Black Douglas |
| The Weaving Works | Belfast | RMI Architects |
| Titanic Hotel Belfast | Belfast | RMI Architects |
| Tropical Ravine Restoration | Belfast | Hall Black Douglas |
| Union Theological College | Belfast | Alastair Coey Architects |
