The iconic Wirral Met College on Wirral Waters has won a national architecture award only two months after winning a regional Royal Institute of British Architecture award (RIBA).
The 38,000 sq ft college campus, developed by Peel for the College, is located on the Birkenhead dockland at Wirral Waters, was designed by architect Glenn Howells Architects, with landscape architects, BCA Landscape and masterplanner Parkinson Inc.
“One of the most successful aspects of the building is the way it works within an excellent landscape scheme. The setting of the dockside has been fully exploited, yet this is not a normal UK design response. The absence of barriers to water was noticeable and combined with the lack of perimeter fencing the landscape is allowed to act as an outside space that people want to be in – not an enclosed car park. It was this final aspect that persuaded the judges that this could indeed be worthy of an award – the building and its landscape can act as a blueprint for an excellent minimum standard for future phases.” RIBA Judges comments.
Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development at Wirral Waters added, “It’s satisfying to receive recognition for our strategy, which has always been focused on placemaking. We want to create a sustainable place with a long term future, that has a real sense of social value, benefiting local people, developing skills for local people in the area.”