St Albans’ Oaklands College centre up for RIBA award

A RECENTLY opened state-of-the-art sports and educational centre in St Albans is one of just 19 new buildings in the east of England shortlisted for a regional architecture award.

Oaklands College’s Discovery Centre at its Smallford Campus, Hatfield Road, has been shortlisted for a 2013 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Regional Award: East.

The centre, by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, is one of just two new-builds in Herts highlighted for the award. The other is Crowbrook, a residential project in Ware.

It is up against nine projects in Essex, four in Suffolk and two in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

All shortlisted buildings will be assessed by a regional jury with the winners to be announced at a ceremony on June 12.

A spokesman for RIBA said regional winners will also be considered for a highly-coveted RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence on a national platform, to be announced on the same evening.

Oaklands principal Zoe Hancock said: “We are delighted to be nominated for such a highly recognised award, one that recognises ‘good, innovative architecture’.

“Our Discovery Centre enables students to learn in a supportive college environment with some of the most up-to-date facilities in the region.”