Nominations invited for Wakefield Civic Society Design and Environment Awards 2023
Wakefield Civic Society is calling for nominations for its annual design and environment awards – partly paused in recent years because of Covid but now being re-launched in full.
Design Awards
The Society has been making awards for good design since 1966. Originally made every two years, the awards are now usually an annual event but were last made in 2020, having been paused since because of Covid. This year, the Society’s Design Awards will cover projects completed during the three years 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The Design awards focus on design and implementation – the quality and aesthetics of the design, for example, and how the completed project works once complete. Account will be taken of how, where appropriate, the project fits within the overall street scene and the impact it has on neighbouring properties.
Nominations are sought for completed projects across five categories as follows:
1. Best new build or environmental project
2. Best refurbishment project (building or environmental)
(In the above categories, environmental projects might include infrastructure or landscaping projects, pedestrianisation of areas within the public realm, and similar)
3. Best new/replacement shop front
4. Best new/replacement café, bar, or restaurant front
5. Best residential scheme (with 6 or more residential units)
Nominations for the awards can be made by anyone – members of the public, property owners, developers, architects, project managers, residents and so on. People do not need to be a member of the Society to make a nomination and there is no charge for submitting an entry.
Environment Awards
Our Environment awards were first offered in 2020 for projects undertaken in 2019. The awards were paused for just one year in 2021 and were then resumed in 2022 (for projects completed in 2020 and 2021). This year, we are therefore seeking nominations for environment projects undertaken or completed during 2022. These awards focus exclusively on projects that help to improve the environment in some way.
Our Environment Awards are offered in two categories:
1. Environment Enhancement Award
Awarded for projects that demonstrate innovation, imagination and good practice in nature conservation, the promotion of environmental quality and support of the wider goals of sustainable development. It is open to individuals, businesses, schools, community groups, public agencies, youth groups, local councils, landowners and statutory organisations, and any other organisation with a suitable project.
2. The Sustainable Building and Development Award
This award is intended to acknowledge building and development projects that demonstrate innovation, imagination and good practice in the efficient use of resources and that support the wider goals of sustainable development. It is open to built environment professionals, developers, contractors and landowners.
Again, anyone can submit a nomination and there is no charge to enter.
General information – how to submit an entry
Anyone wishing to submit a nomination for a Design Award award is asked to email details to the Society at info@wakefieldcivicsociety.org.uk by Friday, 17th February 2023. For our Design Awards, an email will suffice but please give as much information as possible. We need to know:
a) When it was completed
b) The name of the owner and/or developer,
c) The address of the project/property, and
On receipt of your email, we will contact you for further information.
For our Environment Awards, we ask you to complete a nomination form. There are two separate nomination forms, each with its own briefing note. Please make sure you use the correct form.
Download the nomination form and briefing note here:
1a. Entry form for the Environment Enhancement Award.
1b. Briefing note for the Environment Enhancement Award.
2a. Entry form for the Sustainable Building Award.
2b. Briefing note for the Sustainable Building and Development Award.
Entries received by the deadline of 17th February 2023 will be considered by a panel of judges appointed by the Society and whose decision will be final. Results will be announced at the Society’s Annual General Meeting being held at Wakefield Town Hall on the evening of 20th April 2023.
Kevin Trickett, president of the Society said: “The Society has been making Design Awards for over 50 years. Our aim is twofold: firstly, we want to encourage property owners to think about the quality of both the design and execution of their building and environmental projects and, secondly, we want to recognise those projects that, in our view, meet the high standards we are looking for.
“Our Environment Awards were introduced in 2020 to focus on what can be done by developers, businesses, community groups and individuals to help to protect the environment and to help alleviate the effects of climate change. It is important that we all take steps to reduce our collective carbon footprint and it is right that the Society’s awards now take account of the growing concerns on environmental issues.”