Manchester Jewish Museum claims RIBA National Award
Designed by Citizens Design Bureau, the building was one of only two in the North to take a spot on the institute’s list of the 30 best buildings in the UK – 16 of which are in London.
The other Northern project to secure a RIBA National Award was Hushh House in North Yorkshire, which was designed by Hexham-based Elliott Architects.
The £3.6m Manchester Jewish Museum is a Corten Steel-clad extension to a grade two star-listed former synagogue off Cheetham Hill Road. Built by H.H. Smith & Sons, the museum opened in 2021.
RIBA judges described the museum extension as “striking”, adding that it is a building that “both serves and celebrates the local Jewish community”.
Buro Happold was the structural, environmental, and M&E engineer on the scheme, as well as the acoustic engineer. Buro Four was the project manager and Appleyard & Trew was the quantity surveyor. Mary Nightingale was the project’s planting specialist, All Things the exhibition designer, and Smithers Purslow the conservation consultant.
In addition to winning a RIBA National Award and RIBA North West Award, Citizens Design Bureau was also awarded RIBA North West Project Architect of the Year.
Reflecting on the National Award winners, RIBA president Simon Allford said: “At this time, when building collaboratively and working towards a sustainable future are paramount, the 2023 RIBA National Award winners offer a rich source of inspiration. Each project looks, in its own way, to address both its client brief and the wider role architecture can play in serving society.
“Among the winners are a number of projects that offer a model for an architecture that is more widely responsible. These buildings intelligently illustrate the potential of well-designed spaces to bring people together and, ultimately, architecture’s power to change our world for the better,” he continued.
Winners of the national award are also in the running to win the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize. The Stirling Prize ceremony will be held in Manchester on 19 October, a little more than a month after the shortlist for the award is unveiled on 6 September.
While Manchester Jewish Museum was the only North West project to claim a RIBA National Award, it was one of seven to be honoured regionally. Other North West Award winners included:
- Avro in Manchester, designed by Stephenson hamilton risley STUDIO for Urban Splash
- Cross House in Chester, designed by Scott Donald Architecture for Patrick Corcoran
- Manchester Metropolitan University of Digital Arts, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios for Manchester Metropolitan University
- L’Ecurie at Dorfold, designed by ZOË POLYA-VITRY for Dorfold Hall Events
- Tower of Light and Wall of Energy in Manchester, designed by Tonkin Liu for Manchester City Council
- UCLan Student Centre at University Square in Preston, designed by Hawkins\Brown for University of Central Lancashire
L’Ecurie at Dorfold was also declared North West Building of the Year by the RIBA regional jury. It was one of multiple regional Buildings of the Year to be snubbed by the National Award list.
It’s a fine and intricate addition to the building – love the ornamental weathering steel which both references the Sephardi culture of the original synagogue and the gothic brick. More ornament on buildings please.
There does seem to be a north-south divide on architectural awards though.
By SW
this extension would fit in well in any progressive city. its a wonderful piece or architecture
By Anonymous
Well done them. I like the Tower of light as well though…artistic and practical!
By Anonymous
Howcome you didn’t include images of the other ones Julia? The Manchester ones are ace.
By Anonymous
All the North West ones were great. If you’d like to see photos of all of the North West Regional Award winners, you should check out the RIBA’s website. Well worth a gander. – J
By Julia Hatmaker