Whiteleys Redevelopment, Bayswater, London

The Whiteley is the large-scale reimagining of the former Whiteleys shopping centre in London's Bayswater. This huge restoration project includes the construction of a deep three-level basement and a ten-storey superstructure mixed residential and retail space, set behind a retained and refurbished Grade II-listed façade.

Judges' Comments:

The integral design of this building to maintain the Grade II façade was only possible due to the use of concrete. The in-situ concrete used is the muscle and bones of the structure including multiple PT transfer slabs. High ceiling spans created vast architectural spaces. The original staircase from the hotel was retained, without PT concrete it would have been redundant. The project is rated as BREEAM 'Excellent' and used some innovative noise survey equipment during concreting works.
Top-down basement construction greatly improved the speed of the construction on a highly congested site. It allowed topping out of the superstructures to level 9, while excavation was continuing for the complex basement structure. The permanent engineering on this project was only possible using concrete as a building material. The cores are constructed on B3 pile caps and built back up to support hanging walls; this is an engineering challenge and an impressive undertaking for the structural team.
The judges were extremely impressed with the engineering required throughout, especially the hanging walls created as part of the top-down construction. The speed of construction on the constrained site - all while retaining the Grade II-listed Portland stone façade, central dome and grand staircase - was a feat all of its own.

TTP Campus, Melbourn

The single-storey TTP Campus has been shaped around the company's values of non-hierarchical, collaborative working. The use of concrete was central to the client's aspirations and its vision of a high-tech building that would stand the test of time.

Judges' Comments:

At the heart of this innovative project is a flat-slab construction. The design maximises openness, natural light and flexibility, providing high energy efficiency and minimising structural loads. The judges noted the razor-thin interlocking module beams, the blade columns with no tie-bolt holes, as well as the biodiversity and ecology of the surroundings.
The execution/finish is a key aspect in our opinion, workmanship was exceptional and uniform throughout. Finishes were rubbed all up but still retained a natural 'concrete' look. The minor remedials were almost invisible. Arrises were crisp and clean throughout. Most just were hidden in recesses and not visible. Soffits were completely free from rust staining, which is very unusual. Sometimes the visual simplicity of the build masks the actual complexity behind it.
In short, the finishes are some of the best and most consistent we have ever seen, the layout, atmosphere and flexibility of the design are remarkable.

Lost Shore Surf Resort, Edinburgh

Craigpark Quarry, Edinburgh, was an infilled quarry that had been partly remediated into a country park. The accessible location has now been redeveloped to provide a leisure resort and Europe's largest wave pool - 23,500m³ in area - in a 10,500m³ water-resistant reinforced concrete structure.

Judges' Comments:

The collaboration of the project team, and the partnership with Heriot-Watt University, to deliver an innovative floating concrete slab with water-resistant concrete, impressed the judges. The structure was designed and detailed to resist shrinkage and deliver the surface needed to provide great waves - this required a specialist selection of materials, testing and mix design.
The revised final concrete mix design, together with other changes, managed to take out over two million tonnes of carbon, which is a tremendous achievement.
The pool despite its size is nestled into the quarry and is not visible from any of the surrounding roads. The special membrane applied over the joints has also enhanced the aesthetics of the concrete with the joints becoming less visible from a distance. The in-situ finish of the concrete was stunning, with the GGBS complementing the concrete with the colour matching throughout.
It is inspiring to see how concrete has been used throughout the design of the main structure. Concrete as a material has been pushed to its limits on this project, with the creation of one of the largest watertight structures in the UK.

Reciprocal House, Hampstead, London

This new four-storey house was designed to complement Foster Associates' lightweight single-storey structure of steel, concrete blocks and large-span glazing. The industrial character has been retained with the elemental quality of the new house, evident in the highly effective palette of timeless materials - primarily concrete, aluminium and glass.

Judges' Comments:

Careful and thoughtful analysis was used to optimise the exposed concrete structure to blend into the surrounding area using perforated aluminium sail-like roof panels. It provides privacy for both the occupants of the house and neighbours, long views out to the borrowed landscape of back gardens and access to sunlight and daylight.
The judges acknowledge the complexity of SCC placement into thin inclined wall sections; it is not an easy task to execute. The exposed aggregate polished floor is excellent and consistent even at the edges, without the need to detail out. The contrast to the matt-finished walls provides harmony.
The judges were impressed with the exposed concrete throughout, in particular the detailing of the exposed aggregate floor with the sloping walls. The restoration of the 1960s extension, the inclined walls that carry a portion of their self-weight, the passive design and the embedded services all help to create an inspiring home.

The Peninsula London

The Peninsula London is a project of exceptional quality, delivering the most significant hotel and residences in London in recent times. Concrete was the material of choice for the structure of the building from very early in the design process. The project embraced top-down construction for the basement areas, post-tensioned concrete slabs for the upper floors and precast concrete for the façades.

Judges' Comments:

Judges particularly noted the attention to detail throughout. The design combined top-down construction, post-tensioned slabs, precast cladding elements and visual concrete to provide the client with the high-quality spaces it required. The vision was well-executed, with the water drip details, use of pigment and acid etching of the precast elements especially noteworthy.
Concrete was selected as the material of choice from early in the design process as it was the only material that could achieve the structural and construction requirements.
The cladding design was informed by the need for an elevation sympathetic to a mews on the residential roads and befitting an impressive 5* hotel on the Hyde Park Corner entrance.
The precast-backed stone cladding panels used are in harmony with both surroundings.
It is the combination of techniques used that is of interest. The client brief was exacting and to be able to make changes throughout the design and construction process and attain the quality of finish and form is a great achievement.

Everton FC Stadium, Bramley Moore Dock

Rising from the banks of the River Mersey at Bramley-Moore Dock, the new 52,888-seater stadium comprises over 13,000 precast concrete units - from innovative double-terracing to the columns, beams, twin walls, lattice slabs and façade panels. Combining meticulous BIM and innovative precast, the end result is a once-in-a-generation stadium.

Judges' Comments:

This hugely complex project is ideally suited to a precast solution. It is excellently planned and designed with a consistent and exceptional finish throughout.
The terracing units are functionally perfect for the stadium, providing a durable and low-maintenance solution. They provide the ideal platform on which to fix the seats. Other precast units, such as columns, are structurally suitable.
The terracing units are of excellent quality and appearance. This is also true of the terrace walling units and all subsidiary precast units. Clearly, quality checking and care of placement were paramount. Variations and blemishes are pretty much non-existent. All precast units are specified as 'Special' and are reflected in the quality. The brick precast cladding units externally attempt to reflect the surrounding historic brick structures. While a very large and modern building, it does not look brash or out of place.

Claire Ackerman, Chief Executive, The Concrete Society
Ian Evans, Principal Engineer, The Concrete Society
Ian Heritage, Senior Advisory Engineer, The Concrete Society
James Niland, Advisory Engineer, The Concrete Society
Nick Dawson, SIKA Deiniol Willams, Past President, Fosroc
Paul Browne, Past President, Mapei
Gareth Wake, MPA
Enda McKenna, McFarland Consulting

Supporting sponsors

The Concrete Repair Association

Award Winner: RH Partnership Architects with Cemplas and Mapei for Saltdean Lido

This highly complex heritage project restored an iconic 1930s Grade II-listed building, where the original concrete walls had suffered extensive corrosion due to the coastal location and use of sea-dredged aggregate. The guiding principle was to retain and repair as much of the existing building fabric as possible and authentically replicate key components.