Southwark school among four local projects to win prestigious design award

12 December 2022

Southwark Council’s standard for excellent design has been recognised at this year’s New London Architecture (NLA) Awards.

Four development projects in the borough picked up accolades, including a new school building for the council’s Inclusive Learning Service.

The council worked with Tim Ronalds Architects to replace a children’s home built in the 1970s with a calm, bright and nurturing place to learn and grow for young people who need extra support outside of mainstream settings.

SILS3 new school building
Award-winning new school building

The school’s exemplary design and new facilities were designed to the specific needs of students and teachers. In addition to a regional and national RIBA award, the new building won in the Education category and came out on top with the Mayor’s Prize at this year’s NLA Awards.

The other NLA Award winners in Southwark were:

  • Marlborough Sports Gardens in the community category – an ambitious community-led project transforming the outdoor space and courts into a state-of-the-art mixed sports facility, free to residents of all ages, with a special focus on helping get local children active and improving mental health across the community. Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) head up the project with council support, which includes use of the gardens and £1.2m council investment through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
  • Borough Yards in the retail and hospitality category – formerly disused warehouses and railway arches next to Borough Market are now welcoming retail and leisure space, enhancing and linking into the Low Line walking destination to maximise public use and enjoyment
  • 55 Great Suffolk Street in the retrofit category – the restoration of one of Southwark’s last surviving Victorian warehouse buildings into creative workspace which had previously sat derelict on the Heritage at Risk register for years. The project supports a circular economy by using reclaimed steel in a UK first

Cllr James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency & Sustainable Development, said: “We are delighted that these four projects were recognised by the NLA panel, particularly our new school. Some of our young people have a wide range of complex educational needs. Their new multi-award winning building has been expertly designed to meet these needs. It’s an investment in their futures and helps us achieve our ambition that children in Southwark are always included in education.

“Each of these projects show the level of creativity and innovation we expect for every development in Southwark. It’s fantastic to have this celebrated at the highest levels by experts in the design and architecture field.”

Tim Ronalds of Tim Ronalds Architects said: “We were thrilled to receive these awards. Southwark Council was a wonderful client. SILS3 was one of the most satisfying projects we have ever done.”

Page last updated: 12 December 2022

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