Revamped tomb wins prize
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by Katie
Lamborn
A tomb with a view has scooped a top design prize after a
revamp.
The Darnley Mausoleum in Cobham Wood, near
Gravesend, was in a dire state of disrepair until its 12-year
restoration.
Now it's been named project of the year at the prestigious Kent
Design Awards.
Lady Bruce-Lockhart, widow of Lord Sandy
Bruce-Lockhart, former Leader of Kent County Council and Chairman
of English Heritage, presented the distinctive bronze plaque.
Canterbury architects Purcell Miller Tritton,
and PAYE Stonework and Restoration of London, were applauded for
their labour of love, which brought back to life the Grade 1 listed
late 18th century building with its distinctive pyramid
roof.
The panel of judges also paid tribute to the
Cobham Ashenbank Management Scheme (CAMS) which began the huge task
of restoring the mausoleum and reclaiming the woodland of Cobham
Park.
The mausoleum took 12 years to repair and was
featured on the BBC Restoration programme.
It had previously been on English Heritage’s
national Buildings at Risk register for more than 15 years, was
badly vandalised and in 1980 suffered a major fire.
Architects Allison Brooks Associates – who won
the Stirling Prize for Architecture two years ago - won the public
buildings category for The Quarterhouse,
Folkestone, a 220-seat multi-purpose auditorium and
cultural centre in the town’s heart, funded by a £3.5million Kent
County Council grant and £500,000 from SEEDA.
Kent County Council’s Ashford shared
space - with its open road, special lighting and unusual
design features – picked up its 10th award by winning
the town and village renaissance category.
Hythe architects CTM won the category award
for schools with the new St James the
Great primary and nursery school at East
Malling.
The judges said the architects and the
headteacher had devised a very clever school.
It differs from other schools with an open
‘learning street’ replacing the traditional corridor, and access to
each classroom. This is a communal area where small groups can
work, with low, curved walls to mark space.
Other winners were –commercial, industrial and
retail: Deal pier cafe;
residential (major development): The Quays,
Chatham Maritime; minor
development: El Ray,
Dungeness.
Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter said:
"This has been an exceptional year for the Kent Design Awards, with
some outstanding entries.
"The Darnley Mausoleum has been a superb
restoration project, with its fine workmanship, for an
internationally important heritage project of which Kent can be
proud.
“However, some ground-breaking contemporary
buildings have also been recognised for their excellence and
contribution to the quality of life in Kent.”
Wednesday, March 17 2010
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