Catholic church hall wins major prize for architecture

The Presidents Award for new church architecture has been won in 2014 by Evans Vettori Architects for the new hall at St Josephs Roman Catholic Church in Derby.

The Presidents Award is presented annually on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association President and the National Churches Trusts Joint Presidents, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The eye-catching new building in the centre of Derby consists of a multi-purpose hall with kitchen, storage and toilet facilities. A new opening with sliding folding doors, created in the wall of the existing church, allows the hall to be opened up to the church space.

Two projects entered for the Presidents Award were Highly Commended by the judges. They were the reordering and restoration of St Bartholomew Church, Wilmslow, Cheshire by architects Buttress, and the design and construction of a small but complex extension to the church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Studley, Warwickshire by architects John C Goom.

Dan Greenaway, Director of Evans Vettori Architects Ltd said: Evans Vettori Architects are delighted to receive the Presidents Award for the New Parish Hall at St Josephs, Derby.

For many years, an aspiration of St Josephs parish has been to strengthen the relationship between the church and local community. Our brief was to fulfill this aspiration through the creation of an extension to the main church building. The end product aims to convey clarity of concept with simple elegant design, to enhance rather than diminish the importance of the existing church and its central worship space.

Father John Trenchard, Parish Priest at St Josephs Roman Catholic Church said: Financial difficulties led to long delay periods in the project, during which the design was approved by the parish and the Trustees of Nottingham Diocese. When I came to St Josephs Parish four years ago, a great sense of pessimism became apparent to me, with cynical concerns amongst the parish congregation as to whether the new building would be large enough or adequate for purpose. Since completion of the Hall, I have not heard a single word of criticism. This is quite remarkable.

The King of Prussia Gold Medal for innovative, high quality church conservation or repair work has been won in 2014 by Beech Tyldesley Architects for their repairs to the tower of St Michaels Church, Othery, Somerset.

The Gold Medal was the gift of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia in 1857, who was highly impressed with British Victorian church architecture.

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Catholic church hall wins major prize for architecture