The Midland Hotel picks up Crown Conservation Award at RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony
Award winning regeneration company Urban Splash has added one of architecture’s highest accolades to its portfolio having received the RIBA Crown Estate Conservation Award for its redevelopment of the Midland Hotel in Morecambe.
The prestigious award was presented as part of the Stirling Prize awards ceremony, held in London this Saturday, and recognises the successful restoration and adaptation of an architecturally significant building. It was presented to Urban Splash and architects Union North, who had worked with conservation architects Avanti on the project.
Tom Bloxham MBE, Chairman of Urban Splash, said: “This is fantastic news and is one of our greatest achievements to date.
“This award reinforces our belief that architecture and good design can have a great impact on regeneration in towns and cities across the UK. All the shortlisted schemes exposed great architecture, but the Midland Hotel perhaps is the building with the most potential to do something for its town. The fortunes of Morecambe as a seaside resort has suffered over the last 20 years but definitely appears to be on the way up.
“I think it was our approach to design led redevelopment at the hotel helped us win this award. Restoring the hotel and adding a contemporary edge has encouraged new visitors to the town and provided a beautiful hotel, restaurant and meeting place for the local community, helping restore their confidence back in the resort.”
The news takes the total awards won by Urban Splash to 283; 22 of which have been awarded by the RIBA.