The city has scooped a prestigious National Building Excellence Award, for its work to sensitively restore the historic building while creating a modern, world-class, 21st century library.
Awarding Liverpool the gong for ‘Technical Innovation’, judges from national body Local Authority Building Control (LABC) highlighted the challenges the city faced in marrying the new build extension to the existing Grade II listed landmark.
The city was praised for developing close working relationships with partners to find solutions to competing technical issues around preservation of the historic façade, access and fire safety.
It was one of two awards won by Liverpool at the LABC Awards, with the city council also scooping the prize for ‘Partnership of the Year’ with Liverpool-based developer Downing Construction.
Downing have been in partnership with Liverpool City Council since 2005, through the LABC partner authority scheme. Judges praised Downing for using Liverpool City Council’s building control team for all their projects – regardless of location – helping to speed up the process and cut red tape. It has helped deliver over 20 multi storey office, hotel and residential developments in Liverpool and more than 20 similar developments nationally in Leeds, Newcastle, London, Sheffield, Manchester and Leicester
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, said: “Liverpool Central Library is a world-class development, and we are immensely proud of the work that has been done to combine the new and the old to create a landmark destination building which will meet the needs of our city for generations to come.”
“The project has received unanimous praise since its completion in May, and we’re delighted to now receive this national accolade from building industry leaders. The success of the city council, architects, designers and the contractor in taking on such a challenging scheme and delivering an inclusive, safe, accessible and visually stunning building, mean this recognition is well deserved.”
The Building Excellence Awards are held annually by LABC to recognise excellence in construction and building control. The awards showcase outstanding buildings and design teams that have had to tussle with technical issues or difficult sites, and develop innovative and creative solutions. They also honour project teams which have shown collaborative and effective partnership working.
Paul Everall, LABC Chief Executive, said: “Our Building Excellence Awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate good practice. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings. Our awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry.”
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