A pie factory built in a disused quarry near Wells has been named Building of the Year in the region’s top architectural awards.
The 85,000 sq ft factory, pictured above, at Dulcote for independent food brand Charlie Bigham’s gained the coveted title at the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA) South West Awards.
Charlie Bigham’s, which produces 12.5m dishes every year in its distinctive wooden trays, bought the 20-acre site two years after running out of space at its factory in London.
It commissioned fast-emerging London architects Feilden Fowles to design a remarkable new home for its handmade meals, which was built by TSJ Projects.
The first the 85,000 sq ft phase of the Bigham’s West Kitchen campus opened last year, and already employs 210 people making some of the brand’s most popular dishes such as Fish Pie, Chicken Tikka and Cottage Pie.
Judges for the RIBA South West Awards said: “The requirements of the brief might have been met in a very simple shed; this building demonstrates the added value (at modest added cost) that client ambition and architectural ingenuity can bring to even the most prosaic brief – as a statement of intent for an employer new to the area, whose brand is bound up with quality, the building is an excellent advocate.
“It exemplifies architecture’s purpose to surprise and delight in addition to fulfilling functional requirements.”
Company founder Charlie Bigham added: “From the outset, we were adamant we didn’t want a factory – we wanted a very big kitchen. Our food is all handmade, and everything we do is about quality, not compromise.
“That’s carried through to the design of our new West Kitchen. We’re very chuffed that the project has won such high architectural acclaim. It’s a real testament to the great work of our architects Feilden Fowles and builders TSJ Projects."
Feilden Fowles director Edmund Fowles said the award recognised the uniqueness of the project in trying to ‘humanise’ the typical tin shed industrial park and reflected Charlie Bingham’s vision that to make great food requires a happy team.
“Staff wellbeing therefore drove the design, breaking down the scale, maximising connections back to the dramatic quarry landscape, bringing natural light deep into the plan from its saw tooth roof and placing great emphasis on the collective, social spaces, forming a generous rooftop terrace and cafeteria at the centre of the building,” he added.
“Any great project begins with a good client and we have enjoyed working closely with Charlie and his team to realise their vision for what a contemporary food production campus can be.”
There was success also for London and Bath practice James Grayley Architects’ extension and refurbishment of a Duncan Cottage, a Grade II listed villa in Bath, pictured, which won Small Project of the Year.
The project extends and reorganises the house to create living accommodation appropriate to 21st century living while respecting the importance and character of the original historic house.
Jo Wright, chair of the South West jury, said: “Submissions for the 2018 RIBA Awards in the South West encompassed a huge range of scales and typologies, from single rooms to vast and complex buildings.
“The winners are differentiated by their quality and creativity, which grows out of client ambition, architectural excellence and great delivery teams.”
All regional award winners will be considered for the RIBA National Awards, with the successful recipients announced in June. Those collecting national awards will then be considered for the RIBA Stirling Prize.
