The South East Branch of the IHBC is proud to sponsor the Kent Design Awards in 2009. The awards are well known regionally and have a strong reputation. The sponsorship will help to raise the profile of the Institute in Kent and the wider region.
The Kent Design Awards reward and celebrate design excellence and sustainability in the field of building, conservation, public realm, community projects and regeneration in Kent. The Awards form part of the wider Kent Design Initiative, an informal partnership which brings together all the key sectors of the development to work towards a better designed and more sustainable future for Kent’s residents. This is increasingly important considering the opportunities for regeneration and the growth that Kent has to accommodate in the coming years.
Advancing sustainability through improving the design of buildings has also become increasingly significant with a growing expectation for low and zero carbon development. Our overuse of fossil fuels, pollution of air, water and land are driving this change and a new commitment to sustainable development that can help protect local and global ecosystems for future generations.
The conservation award is for building projects across all sectors that have applied an innovative and sensitive approach to the refurbishment, conservation, repair and/or the reuse of once redundant, threatened or underused historic buildings. It also aims to reward traditional craftsmanship and construction skills/techniques. Two awards will be made for: Best Conservation project and the Best example of using traditional skills or techniques.
A nomination can be made by anyone who feels that a particular project is worthy of recognition. However, the entry has to be submitted by the owner or a member of the design team and must be submitted before the closing date on the official form. In all cases the written permission of the owner must accompany an entry. Submission information and application forms available at www.kent.gov.uk/kent_design
