Today, Howe Farm designed by IPT Architects was declared the Supreme Winner of the 2016 Surface Design Awards.
Howe Farm, designed for a private client and located in Buckinghamshire is a subtle and unassuming dwelling. It is a practical farmhouse with low visual impact and is in keeping with its surroundings. The exterior explores the use of simple black stained larch cladding panels in various configurations.
This clever arrangement allows the surface of the building to vary from solidity to transparency and in-turn creates ever-changing shadows. The judges praised the accomplished use of material that enhanced the building in its setting, describing the treatment of the roof as artful and with a number of judges proclaiming that they wanted to live there.
The Surface Design Awards recognises examples of progressive design and the use of innovative surfaces in projects both in the UK and internationally. A total of 32 projects were named as finalists for the 2016 awards, with 40% of shortlisted projects from countries outside the UK, covering an extensive 12 countries.
Each project was judged on a range of criteria including the type of surface, the use of materials and aesthetic design. Overall, 13 winners were announced from seven different categories and most categories were divided into both an interior and exterior section.
With project admissions including private residencies, hospitals, restaurants, and even a sewage works, the judging panel had a difficult task in selecting the finalists and winners of each category. The range of exciting and creative projects inspired an animated debate on the virtues of each project from the panel with projects described as stand out, modern, unusual and strong.
The judging panel was co-chaired by Sarah Featherstone of Featherstone Young and Theresa Dowling of FX Magazine. Other judges all of whom are experts in their field were Andrew Waugh of Waugh Thistleton Architects; Anna Breheny of Scott Brownrigg Interior Design; Chris Jenkins of Peldon Rose; Diana Cochrane of Kent School of Architecture; Michaela Matheson of BDG Architecture + Design; Xavier Llarch Font of The Decorators; and Sharon Stammers and Martin Lupton of Light Collective.
Surface Design Award Winners 2016
Supreme Winner
Project Name: Howe Farm
Architect / Designer: IPT Architects
Client: Private
Contractor: Ecospace Ltd
Commercial Exterior Surface
Project Name: Crossness Cake Building
Architect / Designer: Lyall, Bills & Young Architects
Client: Thames Water
Contractor: Tamesis Limited
Commercial Interior Surface
Project Name: Le Lido
Architect / Designer: Giles Miller Studio
Client: Le Lido
Contractor: Interior Designer Beatrice Coulboy for Opus Certum
Housing Exterior Surface
Project Name: Howe Farm
Architect / Designer: IPT Architects
Client: Private
Contractor: Ecospace Ltd
Housing Interior Surface
Project Name: Villa Las Brisas
Architect / Designer: Sergey Mishin & Katya Larina
Client: Private
Contractor: Gezdan
Light & Surface Exterior
Project Name: Summer House in Halkidiki Greece
Architect / Designer: Eva Sopeoglou
Client: Private
Contractor: METALSO Elias Sopeoglou
Light & Surface Interior
Project Name: PUZZLE ME!
Architect / Designer: Margherita Palli & Marco Cristini
Client: Change Performing Arts
Contractor: Sailmaker International
Public Building Exterior Surface
Project Name: Channing School
Architect / Designer: BuckleyGrayYeoman
Client: Channing School
Contractor: Barley McNaughton
Public Building Interior Surface
Project Name: Winchester School of Art- University of Southampton
Architect / Designer: Berman Guedes Stretton
Client: Winchester School of Art
Contractor: Spetisbury
Retail Exterior Surface
Project Name: 24 Savile Row
Architect / Designer: EPR Architects
Client: Aerium and Terrace Hill Group plc
Contractor: McLaren Construction
Retail Interior Surface
Project Name: LOCO Restaurant
Architect / Designer: João Tiago Aguiar, Arquitectos
Client: Alexandre Silva
Contractor: Oficina Dos Sonhos
Sustainable Exterior Surface
Project Name: Kebony – Camber Sands
Architect / Designer: Walker & Martin Architects
Client: Kebony
Sustainable Interior Surface
Project Name: Yu Geng Shan Private Wine Cellar
Architect / Designer: Godolphin
Client: Yougardens Industrial Co., Ltd.
Contractor: Ming Kun
Temporary Structure
Project Name: UAE Pavillion, Milan Expo 2015
Architect / Designer: Foster + Partners
Client: The National Media Council, UAE
Contractor: A&A Company
