The Architecture Today Awards for buildings that stand the test of time were announced on Thursday 23 November 2023. The focus of these awards is on longevity, shifting away from celebrating newness.
Elle and Ali talk about the process of entering the awards in a video on the Architecture Today website.
Elle Thompson and Ali Francis won the student prize with their project “Re-Housing Manchester”. The project formed part of the MArch studio “Housing the Public”, led by Jo Sharples, which focused on the environmental upgrade and re-use of existing buildings for zero carbon living, with a focus on Manchester. The jury comprised Simon Allford, Esther Robinson Wilde, Ed Jarvis, Amin Taha, Patrick Bellew, and Chair Lee Mallett. The panel were “bowled over by the deft interweaving of an ambitious social agenda and a sophisticated understanding of the practicalities of construction. A serious project, executed with the playfulness and ingenuity we expect – and need – from the emerging generation of practitioners”
The project reworked a modernist gem as part of the old UMIST campus in Manchester set for demolition. The depth of analysis of the existing building fabric in terms of performance and carbon intensity was unusual for a student project. Ali and Elle developed a grading system of what should be retained, removed and reused peeling back the structure to allow self build units to be inserted within the retained structure above and a school to enliven the ground floor courtyards below. The proposals are spatially sophisticated and provide a real alternative to knee-jerk demolition of our cities.
Jo Sharples
Studio Tutor
This award follows last year’s success in the AJ Student Awards, where the pair won the Sustainability Prize.