Architects up for two national awards

Hughes Architects, which has recently opened its nw offices in Welshpool, has been shortlisted for a top property award.

The practice has been named a finalist as Architecture Firm of the Year in the Insider Property Awards Wales 2021, the most prestigious property awards to be staged in Wales.

It was also named in the Sustainability Award alongside Pave Aways Ltd for Powys County Council, PYC, Lowfield Timber Frames and Sureworks for the Passivhaus housing development at Sarn, near Newtown.

It comes a year after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in which the practice, which also has offices in Newtown and Aberystwyth, adapted successfully to the situation to ensure the business continued ‘as normal’, ensuring building design, planning, and conservation architecture projects continued.

The shortlist has been selected by an independent panel of judges.

“We’re elated. To be shortlisted for such an award with other prestigious architects, property developers and others involved in the property and architectural awards is testament to our team,” said Doug Hughes, Managing Director and Principal Architect at the practice which works throughout the UK.

“We’re the only pan-Wales architects’ practice outside Cardiff to have been shortlisted and this speaks millions.

“As with any business, we were concerned about the impact of coronavirus on the practice. We adapted and we have come out the other side a stronger company and architectural practice. We’ve worked on some great projects over the past year with individual clients, private property developers, and the public sector.

“We’ve also become much more multi-disciplinary, creating dedicated roles in engineering, including SuDS and energy efficiency services. We’ve taken two additional members on to the team to achieve this.

“We have expanded with new offices in Welshpool and Aberystwyth, and we have secured some significant public and private sector projects, including the first Passivhaus development by Powys County Council.”

Richard Lewis, a Director and Architect at Hughes Architects, added: “The property sector has seen significant investment and growth despite the pandemic as people seek more residential and open space and businesses adapt to changes in the working environment.

“We’ve adapted with that, and our team has worked tirelessly throughout to achieve the results our clients want, whether individuals, property developers and the public sector. We’re very pleased at what we’ve achieved.”

The awards ceremony will be held at Cardiff City Hall on September 15.