PART-TIME architect Benedetta Rogers has welcomed her victory in the Hackney Design Awards.
Ms Rogers, 34, who works from a home studio in Hackney Central, was last week announced as one of six winners chosen by the council for her design of a printing studio.
She told the Hackney Post it was “quite weird” to be listed alongside firms like Foster + Partners, which, as well as the Amazon building at Principal Place in Shoreditch, has designed City Hall, Millennium Bridge and a host of iconic buildings around the world.
Ms Rogers said: “It’s nice the council appreciated the diversity of projects. Most of the other winners are very established. It’s very nice to be on the same list as them.”
The Print Studio was built last year on Cassland Road, in the garden of local artist Susan Aldworth, who wanted to downsize from her previous studio in Hackney Wick.
Ms Aldworth said the new print studio had “transformed” her working life. She said: “It is a beautiful, light, magical space. I moved in last November and find it an inspirational environment to work in. I love both the design of the building and the feel of working in it.”
The house is a listed building and Ms Rogers praised the council for being open to her design suggestions.
Grant Brooker, senior executive partner at the award-winning architectural firm Foster + Partners, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have our Principal Place project recognised for its contribution to the neighbourhood and its design.”
Mr Brooker said it was a pleasure working with Hackney Council, which was closely involved from the beginning.
The firm committed to maintaining the affordable housing on the Shoreditch site, and designed it to fit in with the history of regeneration in the area.
He said: “We hope that the Principal Place project will continue the spirit of this regeneration and be a positive contribution to the area that surrounds it.”
Henley Halebrown, an architecture practice based in Shoreditch which also took home an award for its renovation of De Beauvoir Block, a group of 100-year-old industrial buildings, welcomed its victory.
Simon Henley, founder of the firm, said he was “delighted”. “Even after the revolution in workplace design in the 1990s the office remains a pretty standard product,” he said. “The Block is different. Our ambition was to establish an intentional working community where congregation, chance encounter and collaboration would be the norm.”
The other winners were Hawkins\Brown for the renovation of Hackney Town Hall, 6A Architects for an artist and restaurateur house and Karakusevic Carson Architects for a housing estate.
Announcing the list, Mayor Philip Glanville said: “This year’s Hackney Design Awards showcase not only the contribution great design makes to the fabric of our borough, but the real difference it makes to the lives of people in Hackney. My congratulations go to all the winners and shortlisted schemes and my thanks go to the judging panel and the people who nominated these inspiring buildings and public spaces.”
Chair of the judging panel Matthew Lloyd, a former winner, said: “The biennial Hackney Design Awards have once again shown the sheer quality of architecture that is consistently produced within this single London borough. Each scheme, shortlisted down from many entries, demonstrated the skill and commitment of some of the country’s best architectural talent.”
