Portrush Cottage celebrates success at Building Awards

Blacksmith’s Cottage, which recently featured on ‘Grand Designs’, took home the Residential award accolade, the only shortlisted project from the North Coast that won at the awards gala evening.

The home is a piece of architectural excellence by owner Mr Howe and 2020 Architects.

It appeared on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, and showed the transformation of a run-down 100 year old derelict blacksmith’s forge and cottage into an eye-catching and sustainable property with spectacular scenic views of the North Coast.

Other companies involved in the project included McFaul Contractors and McCurdy Design.

Blacksmith’s Cottage will now go forward to the Overall RICS Awards in London in October, alongside the other regional category winners.

The RICS Awards are made up of eight categories from Building Conservation to Tourism & Leisure and Infrastructure, and some of the country’s most popular new builds and recent restorations were in the spotlight at the ceremony at La Mon last week.

In other categories, the Lagan Weir Footbridge won the award for Infrastructure and the SPACE (Shared Process and Community Engagement) People’s Park in Portadown took home the Regeneration and Community Benefit awards, while City Quays 1, Belfast won the Commercial category.

The Galgorm Resort & Spa won the Tourism & Leisure category, while, the restoration of Mount Stewart in Newtownards won the Building Conservation award.

Ben Collins, RICS Director, Northern Ireland said; “The positive impact that innovative buildings, regenerated shared spaces and world-class tourist facilities have on the local economy and society cannot be overstated.

“Once again, we have seen some of the best new builds, infrastructure projects, community schemes, and restoration initiatives from the last few years take the spotlight at our annual awards, and we are delighted to be able to highlight the exceptional work of the surveyors and other property professionals behind the projects.”

RICS Awards Judging Chairman, Alistair Dunn added; “This was a competitive year for the RICS Awards in Northern Ireland. Our judges were blown away by the standard of the entries from stately homes to family homes, cross-community projects to buildings that are making a difference in education, medicine and culture.”