India Buildings, Liverpool, winner in the Universal Design category, RIAI Architecture Awards 2022

Presentation of the RIAI Universal Design category, RIAI Architecture Award 2022

Left to right, Quentin Keohane, Director, Falconer Chester Hall Architects, Aideen Hartney, Director of the NDA, Charlotte Sheridan, President Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland

Jury Comment:

The successful adaptation of India Buildings sets a very high standard for workplace design in a listed city centre commercial building, built almost 100 years ago. The client’s brief required their workplace to be designed:

‘to class-leading inclusive and accessible design standards, to ensure that it can be easily used by a wide and diverse range of people’

The building provides environments that are based on need rather than status, allowing staff to work in the way they feel is best for them, whether at a traditional desk, a quiet works area, an enclosed private room, or an open collaboration area.

It cleverly solves issues for neurodivergent people through the provision of natural lighting, restorative, and neutral spaces for people to take time out from stressful or upsetting situations and sensory muted spaces where visual and tactile distractions are minimised.

The architects have skilfully balanced the, sometimes, conflicting requirements of universal design, conservation, security and health and wellbeing with well-designed interventions informed by the need to achieve ‘equality of experience’ for all building users.

Highly Commended 2022

House at Chapelizod - Studio Red Architects 

House at Chapelizod - Highly Commended in the Universal Design category, RIAI Architecture Awards 2022