Eco-friendly Co Down school top of class to scoop architects' prize

St Bronagh’s Primary School in Rostrevor, designed by d-on architects, claimed the prestigious ‘Liam McCormick Prize’ for, as one judge put it, the “immediate sense of calmness, light and airiness”, coupled with its environmental credentials.

The school was also given the Royal Society of Ulster Architects’ (RSUA) sustainability award, and the d-on firm’s Paul McMahon was named Project Architect of the Year.

The society also gave awards for house of the year, and small project of the year to another unique building in Co Down.

Those awards went to a home in Ballygowan, designed by Micah Jones for himself and his family. The County Down Barn is built on the footprint of a dilapidated agricultural shed.

Other award-winning buildings included the transformative Junction Community Peace Building in Dungannon by Hall Black Douglas, the sensitive overhaul of the Main Site Tower at Queen’s University Belfast by TODD Architects, and a fine example of restoration by RMI Architects at the Weaving Works, Belfast.

Ciarán Fox, RSUA director, said: “The primary purpose is to promote excellence in the design of our built environment with the view to making Northern Ireland a better place for everyone.

“Our buildings have an enormous impact on how we live and this year’s awards demonstrate wonderfully how good design can improve learning, health, community relations and economic development.”

He added: “Increasingly clients in Northern Ireland are seeking out ways to improve design quality.”