The Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital has won the 2008 Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award.
The new PFI hospital was commissioned by the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and delivered by Kajima Partnerships with designers BDP. Its success reflects the client’s unwavering commitment to quality, the fact that users had a strong voice and the talented design and construction teams.
The judges said: ‘Great ingenuity was needed to create this technically demanding building which will transform children’s healthcare in Sussex and beyond.’
The judges said: "Great ingenuity was needed to create this technically demanding building which will transform children's healthcare in Sussex and beyond."
The judges said: "The client had the vision to maximise sustainability in creating the building - and then to use it as an educational example for all visitors."
The judges said: "Partnering between contractor and design team produced a strong building which benefited from nearly two years of preparation."
The judges said: "This PFI project has given Brighton a long-awaited facility which has been designed and delivered with great flair."
The judges said: "The A650 Bingley Relief Road had some tricky site conditions to negotiate and a history of local opposition. But aside from the technical skills displayed, it shows what an excellent job was done in terms of public consultation - with exhibitions, neighbourhood forums and a project website all playing their part."
The judges said: "At night, an airy atmosphere is created in a robust piece of architecture"
The judges said: "A good building makes education a pleasure. This building represents the standards we should be aiming for across the country. Crisp, light, airy and staggering value for money, the City Learning Centre was completed to a tight programme - 10 months from conception to completion."
The judges said: "The Tate Modern has set an exacting standard for the new award and shows how a well informed, clearly focused client can have the vision to produce a splendid building at excellent construction value."