THE renovation and conversion of Hawksley House, a listed building in the heart of Sunderland, into 22 luxury apartments was an ambitious project which received great praise from the judges.
Originally built in 1907 for the head office of the Sunderland and South Shields Water Company, the listed offices lay empty for more than 10 years before Gentoo Ventures bought them, along with the adjoining three-storey Victorian terraced buildings.
The judges were impressed by the attention to detail and quality. Existing feature doors into the main building were re-used, original sash windows were retained and former entrances to the Georgian terrace reinstated.
Stewart Allen, managing director of Gentoo Ventures, said: “Hawksley House truly is one of Sunderland's most individual buildings, a magnificent example of Edwardian civic pride.
“To win this prestigious award is testament to the dedication of those involved in the scheme, which showcases true partnership working. We could not have done Hawksley House justice without the support of English Partnerships and Sunderland City Council, whose flexible planning attitude was beneficial to the renovation.
“What is perhaps more gratifying, however, is the fact we were able to salvage a building which was almost beyond repair after remaining derelict for almost 15 years, and with it, a part of Sunderland's heritage.”
THE conversion of a former hotel into luxurious apartments impressed the awards judges. They said the building would have presented difficulties but the scheme was clever, impressive and showed a very good attention to detail.
Stone Homes: The Mill House, Adderstone Mains, Northumberland.
THE Mill House was part of a derelict farm steading, restored and converted into a luxury home, with great attention to methods of restoration and craftsmanship. The judges said the project honoured the original building while a high quality, useable home with good original features, restored where possible.
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