This new award for SPACES addresses the ethos of how we see the SPACES Awards developing in the future. Rather than setting rigid criteria for the submissions this year we have very much looked to open up submissions for all public buildings and all aspects of their creation. We are looking to reward merit across the whole field of the public-sector construction industry, which is in keeping with our multi-disciplinary ethos. To that end we have not limited our panel this year to just reviewing specific submissions and have asked them to keep an open mind to any aspect which they saw which was worthy of specific merit. It is in this context that we have decided to make an award this year for the Client of the Year.
The client is a key component in the creation of any building not just in the public sector; but being an inspirational client in the public sector particularly in these challenging times is very worthy of recognition. Having visited all the shortlisted buildings one client stood out as making an outstanding contribution to the creation of the building submitted but also demonstrated an overall approach to the development of their medium and long-term property strategy which SPACES wish to recognise tonight.
This year’s SPACES client of the year award goes to a client for commissioning and driving through a series of building projects set in the context of an overall strategy which are both exciting and inspiring. The panel were impressed by the student services building shortlisted tonight for specific recognition but also by the overall campus development including for example the drawing studio by Peter Cook.
The winner of the Client of the Year is Arts University Bournemouth.