The search is on for the best designed buildings or public spaces in Huddersfield over the last couple of years.

Huddersfield Civic Society has usually held its Design Awards annually but has not done so since 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and its effect on the economy, refurbishments and new builds.

But now the awards are back and Huddersfield Civic Society has teamed up with Huddersfield Hub to find the best projects.

There is a special award voted by Huddersfield Hub readers which will be the Huddersfield Hub Award for the development you feel has contributed most towards helping improve the quality and image of the town.

The awards were last held in 2020 when the winner’s trophy was presented to the University of Huddersfield for its conversion and refurbishment of the former Broadbent’s Bath House (main image above), now the Sovereign Design House and Toast House Café, designed by AHR architects.

Category winners included Friends of Greenhead Park, Hinchliffes Farm Shop and Restaurant, a private house rebuilt after a devastating fire on Kaffir Road in Edgerton and the Windrush Anniversary Garden in Springwood (pictured below).

Apart from the Huddersfield Hub award, between now and the end of December people are urged to be on the lookout for exemplar projects within these categories: Best New Build, Best Shop Front, Best Refurbishment, Best Residential Development, Best Commercial Development and Best Community Project. 

There is no restriction on the number of nominations you submit and they can be emailed to Huddersfield Civic Society by completing a simple form on their website – click here to be taken to the form.

Nominated buildings should fall within the former Huddersfield borough boundary that is between Outlane and Fixby in the north, Berry Brow and Almondbury in the south, Milnsbridge in the west and Cooper Bridge and Waterloo in the east. Projects must have been completed between July 1 2021 and December 31 2023.

That means people have until this New Year’s Eve to submit their nominations for the judges to make the final decisions. The winners will be presented with specially designed slate trophies with an additional trophy awarded to the outright winner at a presentation event in spring 2024.

When making their decision the judges will be looking for:
Quality of design and materials
Appropriateness to street setting and adjacent property
Functionality
Accessibility
Contribution to environmental sustainability
Quality of landscaping
Contribution to community enhancement

Simply download the form here, fill it in and email it back to hcsdesignawards@gmail.com

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.