黑洞社区

Sponsored by Bircham Dyson Bell

Bishops Square is the crowning achievement of the 21-year regeneration programme of the 12 acre Spitalfields site in east London. What was once a decaying and redundant site has become a vibrant scheme that successfully creates a bridge between the traditional City core and the historic fabric of Spitalfields. Designed by Foster and Partners for a joint venture between Hammerson and the City of London the project comprises 71,900m2虏 of high specification office, 4,000m2虏 of retail space, restaurants, cafes and bars, 10 apartments and a landscaped public square.

Bishops Square was deemed a commercial success for developer Hammerson 鈥� its 75% share of the scheme was valued at 拢401m at the end of December 2005 on costs to that date of 拢244m. The scheme secured the largest ever pre-let in the City office market in 2002 with the principal tenant Allen & Overy paying a headline rent of 拢45 per ft2 with a rent-free period of 18 months. The international law firm will bring 3,000 jobs to the area while the eclectic mix of small and independent traders with high-street names ensures an average of 10,000 visitors to the market every weekend.

Runners up

Arsenal Regeneration Project, London
Hepher Dixon/ Arsenal FC in conjunction with Taylor Woodrow, Newlon and Galliard

Arsenal Football Club saw the construction of its new Emirates stadium as an opportunity to create a model of market-led regeneration in one of the most deprived areas of London. Working with the London Borough of Islington and the London Development Agency, the club has developed the 拢750m ongoing scheme largely without public subsidy. The north London scheme, in which seven architectural practices are involved, will comprise over 2,500 homes, 40% of which will be affordable housing, 70,000m2虏 of business, leisure and retail space and a 拢60m waste and recycling centre. With over 拢7.5m public transport upgrading and more than 2,500 projected new jobs, the Arsenal Regeneration Project could be an inspiration for 2012.

Chapelfield, Norwich
黑洞社区 Design Partnership/ Lend Lease in partnership with Capital Shopping Centres

Built on a former Nestl茅 factory that ceased production in 1996, the 拢275m Chapelfield mixed-use scheme has been designed to transform Norwich into a major shopping destination. The 50,000m2虏 centre adjoins key historical sites including the Norwich medieval city wall, St Stephen鈥檚 Church and the listed Assembly Rooms. A 鈥渓iving wall鈥� has been created around the outside of the shopping centre with 117 new apartments.

The city has been strengthened as a retail destination with half of the 80 shops in the centre being new retailers and a catchment area now reaching out to Cambridge and Ipswich.

Macdonald Aviemore Highland Conference Centre, Aviemore
Fletcher Joseph/ Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort

The Aviemore Highland resort in the Scottish Highlands, which was first developed in the 1960s, had become a rundown ski resort suffering from lack of investment and a poor image. Owner Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort set out to turn the place into an international resort destination. Between 2004 and 2005 over 拢80m of investment boosted the quality of accommodation and facilities. A new leisure and retail development was created to include a swimming complex, a 650-seat conference auditorium and theatre and a 1,000-person capacity exhibition and convention hall. This has paid off with the first year since re-opening showing an increase of 115% in conference centre sales.