Derry Transport Hub and Altnagelvin wing shortlisted for RSUA Awards

The two public buildings join a list of nine projects commended following a rigorous judging process by an expert panel of architects from across Ireland and Great Britain. Each of the projects will now be visited for a second round of judging and the winners will be announced at a ceremony on Friday 29 April 2022 in the Great Hall at Queen’s University, Belfast.

The new Altnagelvin wing was designed by HLM Architects with Hall Black Douglas Architects and Translink’s new transport hub was restored and reimagined by Consarc Design Group.

Ciarán Fox, Director of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects, said, “Buildings have an enormous impact out our lives and that is why it is so important we get them right. Not only for the people who are in them every day, but also for the occasional visitor, the neighbour, the passerby and very importantly, for our natural environment.

“I congratulate the architects, clients and wider teams involved in delivering these nine projects. Having assessed this year’s submissions the distinguished judging panel has concluded that each of these works of architecture have demonstrated some element of delight, invention or ambition that deserves a more thorough examination.

“The nine shortlisted buildings will no doubt enrich the lives of the communities they serve – the central tenet of all great pieces of architecture. The list includes a diverse mix of both public and private buildings from across the region, but it is particularly positive to see a number of entries being shortlisted from areas such as Derry and West Belfast which have traditionally been underrepresented.

“I am pleased to say this year’s award schemes included the introduction of new entry criteria designed to ensure the competition remains the most robust measure of the best architecture emerging from Northern Ireland. The buildings submitted were required to have been in use for at least one year before they could be put forward so that the judging panel could better evaluate the sustainability and overall performance of these projects. RSUA will continue to raise the bar in relation to the way our built environment is assessed, ensuring that the focus is not just on aesthetics but the full range of design considerations including, crucially, the environmental impact and carbon footprint.”

Projects that win an RSUA Design Award will be in the running to win the Liam McCormick Prize - Northern Ireland’s building of the year and will be considered for a UK-wide RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence.

The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects, and the Stirling Prize winner will be announced in October.