The Search Is On for the Best Buildings in the Borough

Published on: 22 Mar, 2023
Updated on: 24 Mar, 2023

A Guildford Design Award winner in 2022 the Hilltop horticultural building at RHS Wisley

From grand designs to granny flats, high street cafes to office hubs, school sites to heritage renovations, the Guildford Design Awards 2023 are now open.

Organised by the Guildford Society in partnership with Guildford Borough Council, the Guildford Design Awards recognise and reward excellence in architecture, urban design, planning and public art across the borough.

Cllr Julia McShane

Council Leader Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough) said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate some of the excellent design projects in Guildford Borough. I look forward to learning more about them as the awards progress.”

Dawn Hudd

Dawn Hudd the strategic director of place, for Guildford and Waverley, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Guildford Design Awards again this year. It is always exciting to see the high-quality designs and projects that the awards uncover.

“Appreciating the thought that goes into the continued improvement, sustainability, and conservation of architecture in our borough is important; these awards are an excellent way to do that.”

Peter Coleman

And the chair of the judges, retired architect Peter Coleman, said: “Guildford Design Awards acknowledge and reward sponsors, designers and builders whose considerable skill and endeavour make projects which conserve, regenerate and add new buildings and spaces to the Borough’s rich heritage and Guildford’s unique setting.

“The awards are important to encourage good design and ensure the ongoing legacy of Guildford’s character.”

There are nine award categories:

New Commercial Building
New Public Building
New Build – Individual House
New Build – Multiple Housing – smaller projects up to 30 homes
New Build – Multiple Housing – larger projects 30 homes and over
Conservation Project
Regeneration Project including those involving an extension to an existing
building
Public Realm including soft (landscape) and/or hard works
Public Art

Martin Giles

Joining the panel this year is Guildford Dragon NEWS editor Martin Giles. He said: “I felt honoured to be asked to join the judging panel and I’m looking forward to seeing all the nominated projects. It is extremely important that good design is recognised and encouraged in our town.”

How to submit a nomination

For details of how to nominate a project and make a submission click here.

Projects must have been or will be completed between June 2021 and June 2023 to be eligible for free entry to the awards.

Nominations can be made for a location anywhere in the borough of Guildford. To check our borough boundaries click here

Deadline: projects should be submitted, and nominations made no later than Friday, May 26 2023.