AT Awards: 2023 winners

CIAT is delighted to announce the winners for the AT Awards 2023!

Presented by the President, Kevin Crawford PCIAT, on 20 October 2023, the Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in Architectural Technology for both students and practitioners.

The event, hosted by Matt Allwright, was attended by a cross section from the built environment sector and showcased Architectural Technology, both in practise and as a key academic discipline, demonstrating the growth and impact within the UK and internationally.

The 2023 winners are:

The Chartered Architectural Technologist of the Year

Winner: Craig O’Halloran FCIAT

Craig has been blazing a trail for the discipline of Architectural Technology in the United States since 2016. Although the discipline of Architectural Technology is not formally recognised in the US, this has not stopped Craig from gaining a significant role in projects, his firm and in the industry. His point of view through the Architectural Technology lens has allowed him to lead clients through transformational change in all his work.

Extract from Craig’s citation

The Emerging Talent in the Technology of Architecture

Winner: Rosie Thirlwell ACIAT

Rosie has had a significant impact and unwavering passion in the field of Architectural Technology. In just six years, she has made remarkable strides, ascending from a trainee to a Senior Architectural Technologist. Rosie's influence is evident not only in her impressive project portfolio, which includes the successful refurbishment of Newcastle Civic Centre and Britannia Leisure Centre, but also in her commitment to collaboration and sustainability.

Extract from Rosie’s citation 

The Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology | Small to medium

Winner: Irish Life Sciences, Mel McGerr FCIAT, MMA Architects

Redefining construction through adaptive reuse, the Irish Life Sciences Global HQ is a prime example of excellence in Architectural Technology. The design seamlessly integrates state-of-the-art facilities within the original 1990s structure, balancing economic viability and sustainability through thoughtful material selection setting a high standard for responsible development and significant carbon reduction. An impressive range of sustainability measures has been integrated from the repurposing and re-use of existing materials to the extensive use of PV arrays and thermodynamic solar panels.

Highly Commended: Holly Hall Barn, JDDK Architects

This comprehensive rural barn conversion with access via a single car laneway posed many challenges to the design team. The conversion of an outdated property into modern home with greatly improved thermal efficiency was the main focus of this project. A fine attention to detail with thermal modelling and a detailed focus on PSI values was the driving force behind this sustainable design. Innovative structural solutions involving existing stone buttresses and new metal tie rods have been sensitively designed into the original 1860 barn's structure.

Highly Commended: Plot 9, Caxton, PiP Architecture

This ambitious new rural self-build residential project applies slick minimalist detailing to contemporary materials and building technologies to provide a two-storey traditional barn inspired home. With its choice of materials reflecting the vernacular and the need for a relatively simple assembly, this project clearly meets the brief with design choices that make for a visually interesting and stimulating structure.

The Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology | Medium to large

Winner: Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar Expansion, RDK Architects

This new roof top expansion to the existing gravity bar is this year's outstanding Winner for the medium to large category. The sympathetic modification of the current structure is sustainable in terms of energy, history and culture and should be applauded. It is an exemplary illustration of integrating a new structure with an existing functioning building. With fantastic technical detailing, the project showcased excellent buildability and assembly techniques which allowed the expansion of the Gravity Bar whilst keeping the Guinness Storehouse fully operational.

Highly Commended: Specialist Veterinary Referral Hospital, Sheerin Bettle Architecture

The project successfully navigated challenges posed by the sloping topography and planning restrictions in a conservation area with the buildings carefully designed to replace existing structures and incorporated traditional agricultural forms while using modern and energy-efficient construction methods. 

Commended: Blythe Rose, Paul Burton of A P Architecture Ltd

This state-of-the-art new build care home has been designed to enhance the lives of those living with progressive brain conditions that affect memory and thinking skills. The Judges were very impressed with the integration of modern solutions to both improve the patient and staff experience and consideration of the setting and surroundings. 

The Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology | Large to mega

Winner: Mildenhall Hub, Concertus Design and Property Consultants Ltd

The Hub reflects the client’s aspiration for a multi-user facility with sustainability and efficient operation. This is a unique project that offered a regeneration opportunity to the area by supporting the growth of businesses. Mildenhall Hub is an excellent use of procedure and software to ensure issues of buildability (clash detection, design modelling) and assembly can be captured within the budgetary constraints. This was plainly a very complex project and recognition is given to the design teams handle on bringing everything together into a successfully constructed building. 

Highly Commended: Sutton Rose, Paul Burton of A P Architecture Ltd

Transforming a former adult education facility into a modern community facility can be challenging but this exemplary project includes a care home, assisted living apartments and community facilities. The design of the home and the technologies introduced allows individuals to lead happy and fulfilled lives through very thorough design and great attention to detail. 

Student Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology | Project
(recognising outstanding design achievement in Architectural Technology based upon a university/college assignment)

Winner: The Hide – Centre of Environmental Safeguarding, Callum Matthew Craske, Nottingham Trent University

Callum’s entry distinguished itself from the other submissions by its accomplished explanation of the project, with impressive overall presentation and a consistent thematic approach throughout. The Judges were unanimous in considering that the choice of materials aligned well with the location and could see the careful consideration in each of the choices.

Highly Commended: Sirocco Quays: Multi-Generational Residential Scheme, Jack Buckley ACIAT, Ulster University

The Scirocco Works project showcases an aesthetically pleasing architectural design including a thorough site context analysis and well-crafted design introduction. Along with this there is a meticulous massing exercises platforming expansive green roofs for enhanced quality of life, rainwater management, vividly depicted with clear imagery. The solar study culminates the exercise effectively, offering a robust technical analysis that bodes well for the scheme.

Commended: The Hex Building, Dylan O’Connor, South East Technological University

Dylan’s proposal takes an innovative approach to façade design in combining low carbon concrete, green walls and recycled plastic panelling coated with a titanium oxide paint which over its 25-year lifespan turns carbon dioxide into oxygen. Using these and many other innovative sustainable features and an exceptional level of detail devoted to thermal bridge mitigation, the proposal hopes to reduce the buildings overall carbon footprint to almost zero.

Student Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology | Report
(recognising outstanding research achievement in Architectural Technology from a dissertation assignment)

Winner: Reconstructing the Façade: An Investigation into the Fire Issues Surrounding Ventilated Rainscreen Cladding, Ulster University

Jack’s report is very well written and engaging. It takes a very serious and topical issue and approaches it in a good, clear and meaningful way. With clear aims and objectives, this work is based on the collection of primary data matched with a clear and complete literature review. The findings obtained indicate that Automated Code Compliance (ACC) software is viewed as the future of fire compliance checking in the industry.

Highly Commended: An Investigation into Improving Communication to Students with Enhance Remote Learning Experiences, Saif Wasim, Ulster University

Saif has selected a subject area relevant to both the mainstream Architectural Technology professional and very pertinent to the future of how we all work. With a clear method and well-defined aims and objectives, this work challenges us all to learn from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that affected business on a global scale and adapt work practices to protect our livelihoods from the impact of any future events of this type.

Commended: Hemp Lime Composite as a Natural Building Material for Proposed Walls in Irish Construction, Jack Fleming, Atlantic Technological University

While exploring a material very local to Jack’s location of study, Judges felt that he has highlighted an important traditional construction method that is important for the modern Architectural Technology professional concerned with the sustainable credentials of their projects. Providing a thorough background to this traditional material, the work highlights the renewed importance it could make in modern construction.

The President’s Medal
(The President’s Medal recognises and celebrates an extraordinary distinction or exceptional contribution to Architectural Technology and the profession. It is awarded once in any one Presidential term)

Recipient: Gary Mees PPCIAT MCIAT

Gary has been embedded within the world of Architectural Technology for as long as most can remember. As such, he is a fountain of knowledge, constantly moving with the times, a creative thinker and promotes collaboration as the tool to keep our sector relevant, progressive, and ahead of the game. Gary has, and still, sits on many adviser groups to the Scottish Government and building standards and is contacted regularly when the Building Standards Division are looking for an expert in Architectural Technology within the built environment.

All the Awards, Finalists and winners are featured on our website and in the autumn issue of AT Journal.

The Awards reopen on 5 February 2024.