Four recently completed Bristol construction projects ranging from a university building to an office block and an upmarket co-working space have been named on the shortlist of a major regional property award scheme.
The projects are among 34 in the running for the 10 categories that make up regional law firm Michelmores’ Property Awards.
The awards, now in their 19th year, have become a fixture of the South West business calendar by celebrating the best projects from the region’s real estate and construction sectors during the previous 12 months.
Bristol winners last year were The Wave, the ground-breaking inland surfing attraction at Easter Compton, and the four-storey, 136-home Copper Building development at Lakeshore, South Bristol.
Flying the flag for Bristol this year are UWE’s Engineering Building, Origin Workspace, Wapping Wharf Living and Glassfields Distillery.
The Engineering Building on UWE’s Frenchay Campus, pictured above, which has been shortlisted in the Education Project of the Year category, has been specifically designed to house all teaching on the undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programmes and includes mechanical and manual workshops, teaching labs, social learning spaces and academic offices. 
The judges were impressed with its modular form, which enables the building to be adapted over time to fit the future needs of its students and teaching staff. The central Maker Space forms the heart of this linear building, which was created with the concept of ‘social learning space’ as its ethos.
Origin Workspace, pictured right, on Berkeley Square is competing in two categories – Heritage Project of the Year and Building of the Year.
As well as transforming an historic Georgian building, the scheme also replaced a neighbouring a modern property – which had been deemed a ‘negative contributor in a Conservation Appraisal of the area – with a landmark design that completes a corner of the square while paying tribute to the listed structures that surround it.
The development houses an award-winning co-working and private office space centred on wellness – a cornerstone of the Origin Workspace brand. Judges praised the scheme’s exceptional qualities, adding that it had replaced a badly designed office block with a building that flows comfortably and is fit for the modern way of working. 
The 250-home Wapping Wharf Living (Phase 2) scheme, pictured right, which is in the running for the Residential Project of the Year (36 units and over) Award, completes the revitalisation of what was a sealed-off and derelict area of Bristol’s Harbourside.
It has created a thriving community linked by the restored Grade 2-listed Gaol Gate, which sits between its two main buildings.
Judges praised the buildings’ clever design which, they said, made the most of the space and views in this high-density scheme, adding that they were confident Wapping Wharf would continue to thrive as a buzzing community and destination for the city.
Glassfields Distillery, pictured below, which lines up in the Project of the Year (over £5m) category – is the first phase of a masterplan for a site on Temple Way that housed a Guardian Royal Exchange office until 2010.
A 90,000 sq ft office development’s design has been carefully plotted to respond to the mixed architecture of the surrounding area while the ethos of its flexible internal layout is one of connection and connectivity to enable collaboration and the sharing of ideas. 
Overall, the scheme is intended to contribute to the regeneration of the Glassfields area offering access to employment, shops, restaurants and cafes and a hotel.
The judges said Glassfields had “a bold and edgy design and is very accessible. It meets the needs that Bristol currently has for quality office space and its sustainability credentials are very good”.
Michelmores partner and head of its real estate team Emma Honey said: “We continue to live in uncertain times and like many others, the construction, property and real estate sectors are navigating a series of on-going and unique challenges.
“The submissions for the awards this year underline the resilience and adaptability of those working in the region and looking ahead there is much to be excited about.”
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner staged by Michelmores, which has offices in Exeter, Bristol and London, on November 4.
