Visions of 2012. UK’s Best Interior, Exterior and Landscape Designs named at 30th annual What House? Awards
Equally important as the physical bricks and mortar which comprise a home is the design, both internally and externally. Britain holds a long tradition of producing globally renowned architects and designers and now the prestigious What House? Awards has named the Best Interior, Exterior and Landscape Designs in the UK in 2011.
Receiving the gold award for Best Interior Design is Weston Homes for the gated development of King’s Island. Comprising 24 three- and four-bedroom family homes and 127 one and two bedroom new-build and listed conversion apartments situated in a picturesque landscape by the Grand Union Canal in Denham, Uxbridge, the judging panel praised the overall attention to detail and use of quality materials, in particular the “use of solid wood floors and doors throughout and craftsman-like joinery and cabinetry and quality appliances”.
Featuring a super indulgent master bathroom with standalone bath, walk-in wardrobes, above-height ceilings and light-enhancing balustrading on the staircase, King’s island is certainly fit for royalty. As the judges commented, “a well thought-out and cleverly executed development that delivers design aesthetics, quality of construction and genuine value for money”. Four-bedroom, mid-terraced homes here are priced at £700,000.
Looking externally, it was United House & Londonewscastle who took the coveted gold award for Best Exterior Design for Arundel Square in Islington, London, adding to its already impressive accolades for the contemporary reworking of a traditional Victorian square.
With terraces built along three sides, the way in which completion of the fourth side of the square, blighted by an unsightly railway line, was undertaken was rewarded by the judges who commented that the developers had steered away from a “pastiche approach to the external challenge; rather adopting a more contemporary look”.
Arundel Square comprises 146 homes ranging in price from £285,000 to £1.5 million with plenty of green space and some delightful landscaping. The judges particularly liked the balcony treatment, with blue and green colours and stained-glass finishes with galvanised steel rails, which appeared to project outwards towards the garden square like “auditorium theatre boxes”, no idle architectural pretension considering the chief executive of United House, Jeff Adams, is a keen theatre-goer and patron of the arts.
In the hotly contested category of Best Landscape Design, two developments were deserved gold winners – United House Developments and Londonewcastle once again for Arundel Square and St James for The Hamptons in Worcester Park, Surrey.
One of the outstanding qualities of Arundel Square was that its design was delivered through comprehensive consultation between the client, Islington council´s Greenspace team and the local community to ensure it would offer something to all age groups.
The result sees the inclusion of an enclosed play area for younger children, a hard surface games area, ping pong table, chess, basketball hoop and games table. Elsewhere, earth mounding has created an attractive landscape that also includes an informal curved seating area, individual park benches, and timber deck. Open grass areas are combined with new tree and herbaceous planting.
As the judges enthused, “the design skill has been to incorporate these components within the elegant design of a Victorian square. The design is understated and the materials merge comfortably with the colours and tones of the original buildings and the result is a calm and pleasant landscape.”
Looking south of the river, The Hamptons in Worcester Park, Surrey was created on a former Thames Water site meaning the developer and landscape architects had to meet the challenges of an industrial legacy, including redundant gasometers and a major power line running nearby.
Of the 60 acre site, more than half is dedicated to natural parkland which includes four acres of lakes to provide a habitat for wildlife. The central parkland, known as Mayflower Park, includes a raised amphitheatre and sculpted hill created a central focus and viewing platform towards London, only 30 minutes away.
The judging panel commented that “St James should be congratulated in creating and executing such a carefully designed scheme. The architecture and setting is attractive, the atmosphere is relaxing, and the development is a welcoming place to live”.
To find out more about the Best Interior, Exterior and Landscape Designs as well a full list of What House? Award winners visit http://www.whathouse.co.uk/what-house-awards/results-2011 or download the new What House? App for iPhone and shortly iPad.
To register for details of the 2012 What House? Awards please contact Derek Smith. ds@globespanmedia.com. Tel: 020-7324-2800.
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Notes to Editors:
Rupert Bates, editorial director of whathouse.co.uk would like to thank the following What House? Awards 2011 sponsors:
Whathouse.co.uk
Roca
Spicerhaart land & new homes
Nolte Kitchens
Hometrack
Show House magazine
Electrolux
Premier Guarantee
Johnson Tiles
Laufen
ScottishPower
KLAS International