Adds to an exemplary collecton of healthcare buildings in Northern Ireland
Keppie Design and Hoskins Architects for Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Project city/town: Ballymena
Contract value: £14m
GIA: 9,067m²
This project adds to an important collection of healthcare buildings in Northern Ireland, exemplary projects that are models of design and procurement. The award recognises that such projects are particularly challenging given their technical and logistical complexity and, in this case, the need to integrate into an established urban context.
Derived from a robust and functional diagram, the assertive brick form is ameliorated through careful adjustments to its massing. While the original intent to occupy the glazed area adjacent to the entrance with a more public function was not fulfilled, the new building does contribute positively to the town and immediate environment, and provides a collection of bright internal spaces and rooms that are well used and enjoyed by the local community.
Externally, simple and controlled detailing corresponds with an assured and restrained selection of materials, resulting in a building that has the potential to endure and develop as a key element of the town’s public realm.
See the other winner of the RIBA Regional Awards 2017 - Northern Ireland