Awards

2024 Civic Trust Awards - Caernarfon Castle and Lincoln Medieval Bishop's Palace Win

Buttress’ work at Caernarfon Castle and Lincoln Medieval Bishop’s Palace was recognised with three awards at Friday night’s gala event in Manchester. 

External view of the King's Gate area of Caernarfon Castle with two Civic Trust logos in the bottom left and right corners.
External image of Lincoln Medieval Bishop's Palace with Civic Trust logo in the bottom right hand corner

This year, over 320 projects were entered from across the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and USA which reflects the award's international reach and influence. 

Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle won a National Civic Trust Award as well as achieving a Highly Commended Award in the Selwyn Goldsmith Awards.

The enhancement works of Caernarfon Castle, a Grade I listed Scheduled Monument, and World Heritage Site, were done for client Cadw. The principal aim was to make the King's Gate areas more accessible and create a welcoming space for visitors while respecting the historical significance of the castle.  

External view of the King's Gate area of Caernarfon Castle showing people walking down the new wooden stairs and being able to view through the glass balconies.
Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle and its associated walled town have played a significant part in the history of Wales and the rest of the UK for much of the last millennium. The castle is amongst the UK’s most iconic monuments and became one of Wales’s first World Heritage Sites in 1986.   

Lincoln Medieval Bishop's Palace

The studio’s work at Lincoln Medieval Bishop’s Palace also performed well on the evening picking up a Highly Commended Civic Trust AABC Conservation Award.

Delivered for English Heritage, the £2.5m project has conserved and repaired the palace site with as little intervention as possible. Buttress' work at the palace not only preserved its tangible heritage but also contributed to the cultural landscape of Lincoln, by enriching the city's architectural tapestry. 

Medieval palace walls featuring reinstated archways blending medieval with new work
Lincoln Medieval Bishops' Palace

Buttress’ Managing Director, Gavin Sorby, commented on the success:

“We are immensely proud of our team's achievements at Caernarfon Castle and Lincoln Medieval Bishop’s Palace.

Our work, particularly at Caernarfon Castle's King’s Gate, reflects our commitment to preserving heritage while ensuring accessibility for all. These awards not only recognise architectural excellence but also celebrate places that embrace inclusivity, contribute significantly to their communities and beyond and remember their history.  

I’d like to thank the award organisers and congratulate all the shortlisted projects. This year, we've witnessed an array of impressive submissions, and it's both exhilarating and humbling to see such a high standard alongside Buttress' work. We are grateful to sit alongside such a distinguished cohort.”  

The Civic Trust Awards were established in 1959 recognising outstanding architecture, planning and design in the built environment. In addition, sustainability credentials, accessibility, and the civic contribution of each of these projects have been robustly debated and assessed at great length by the judging panel. Established in 2011, the Selwyn Goldsmith Awards for Universal Design recognise excellence in the built environment and form an integral part of the Civic Trust Awards. 

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