Architectural excellence: Eastbourne winners of Sussex Heritage Trust awards

The 21st anniversary of the awards scheme saw 98 entries, with 27 award winners including four building craft awards and 32 highly commended projects.

Eastbourne College achieved a Public and Community Award for the Nugee and Winn Buildings, providing the College with new sporting facilities, swimming pool, dining facilities and classrooms.

Located in the College conservation, area, the sports facilities were sunk into the ground, with the remaining facilities built over the top.

Submitted by Hove based Miller Bourne Architects, the judges said about the project, “A landmark and transformative development providing extensive facilities for this school.

“The architects and client have worked brilliantly together to produce an enviable new building to fit with the older buildings of the site.”

Specialist retirement developer, PegasusLife, also achieved an award-winning project with an ambitious programme of high-quality retirement living developments in Hortsley, Seaford.

The judges said, “An innovative urban development of 38 units of one and two bedrooms, utilising a challenging town centre site.

“The architects, RCKa, had clearly gone to extraordinary lengths to research and develop a new concept of retirement housing encouraging wellbeing and inclusivity through design.”

High commended certificates were received by Parker Dann for land at the Fridays for 11 new dwellings in East Dean’s historic core.

The accessibility improvements at Martello Tower 74 at the Seaford Museum and Heritage Society (submitted by Morgan Carn Architects, Brighton) achieved a highly commended certificate for their fabrication and installation of a footbridge spanning the dry moat.

The judges described the bridge as “imaginatively designed and visually striking”.

Dr John Godfrey, chairman of the Sussex Heritage Trust said, “The increase in entries this year, from 76 in 2018 to 98, clearly underlines the regard and prestige which the awards scheme now commands, across the whole of Sussex, including Brighton and Hove, and much further afield.”

The awards are designed to highlight excellence in architecture and conservation work in Sussex, representing the highest quality new build, conservation and rejuvenation projects.

For a full list of award winners and highly commended projects please go to the website at www.sussexheritagetrust.org.uk