RIBA Stirling Prize 2021 for Town House project

Grafton Architects wins most prestigious UK architecture award

"The buildings external expression seeks to incorporate a visually rich façade in terms of articulation and detailing, with an emphasis on assembly of materials in a manner which is finely detailed and robust, ensuring the longevity of the quality of the appearance of the building. The interior of the building is predominantly defined by a column and beam structural system supporting exposed concrete ribbed slabs, that defines the quality and character of the spaces within and are influenced by the type and quality of finish of the concrete. "Our collaborative working relationship with PCE throughout the design and offsite manufacturing process was a rewarding experience, and the subsequent careful assembly of the building’s concrete elements on site to form the building’s three-dimensional structural matrix and envelope contributed to the overall success of the project."

- Grafton Architects.

Nickie Brown, PCE’s Managing Director, on hearing of the prestigious 2021 RIBA Stirling Award being won by the Kingston University Town House project said:

"This is a great achievement and I congratulate Grafton Architects on winning this significant Award for their architecturally brilliant design. "Working with Grafton Architects, Willmot Dixon Construction and AKT II, we at PCE Ltd are very proud of our contribution to this impressive building in taking what was an initial onsite construction design and enabling an offsite engineered Design for Manufacture and Assembly, (DfMA) solution to provide the stunning architectural functionality and appearance, structural requirements and high quality concrete finishes required.

"Responsible for the structural design of the superstructure and facades using our HybriDfMA approach, meticulous care was taken by our in house design team with the design and detailing of every component. Our supply chain was managed to ensure that all offsite manufactured units arrived to site on a planned just in time basis.

"Our Supply Chain Partners consisted of Techrete, Oranmore Precast, Peikko, Bannagher, Bravejoin Steel Fabrications and Shay Murtagh Precast and all provided a first class service in manufacturing the precast concrete and structural steel components to our designs and specifications ensuring the structural and architectural requirements were achieved. "The skill and knowledge of our in house multi-disciplinary site team enabled assembly of the superstructure to ensure the highest level of quality concerning accuracy and fit and was achieved with full regard to all Health and Safety and Environmental considerations as well ensuring minimal disturbance to the University on what was a restricted site. "I am extremely proud of what PCE achieved and very thankful to Grafton Architects and Wilmot Dixon for being given the opportunity to show the high standards in Offsite design and Construction that we can achieve."

Architects' Journal: Grafton Architects has won this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK’s most prestigious architecture award, for Kingston University Town House »

PCE’s HybriDfMA Bespoke System solution enabled an architecturally complex structure and facade to be economically achieved by an Offsite and Modern Methods of Construction approach.