A TRIO of Shakespeare-related building projects are in the running for the ‘property Oscars’.
The newly-restored Swan Wing at the RSC main theatre, The Play’s The Thing Exhibition within the restored wing, and Holy Trinity Church have all been shortlisted in this year’s West Midlands RICS Awards.
Made possible by an award from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the grade II listed Swan Wing restoration was completed last April in time for the 400th anniversary commemorations of the Bard’s death.
Built in 1879 and the oldest part of the RSC’s theatres in Stratford, the Swan Wing was the subject of a nine month project, which saw the Victorian architecture hidden away while a team of specialists worked to restore its façade and interior. Conservation specialists from Pulse Associates, Mark Evans Architects and Shaylor Group helped make the project a reality and entered the project into the Building Conservation and Community Benefit categories of the awards.
Looking to scoop the Tourism and Leisure title, The Play’s The Thing Exhibition is an interactive exhibition celebrating the stories, creativity and moments of innovation in the RSC’s past and present.
Pulse Associates, Kossman Dejong and The Hub, visitors have enabled visitors to be transported behind the scenes to capture the magic of theatre and the rich history behind the RSC’s performances.
Previously unseen treasures from RSC’s renowned archive and collection are displayed, including costumes, set designs, props, photographs, paintings, drawings, audio and video recordings.
Holy Trinity, known as “Shakespeare’s Church”, has been nominated in the Building Conservation category following the South Side extension – the first extension to the grade I listed building since the medieval period – which provided much-needed new facilities.
Also listed in the Building Conservation and Tourism and Leisure categories, Compton Verney’s grade I 18th century chapel and the surrounding landscape were designed by the famous landscape designer Capability’ Brown.
The Compton Verney ‘Capability’ Brown Chapel and Landscape Restoration Project required Austin Newport, architects Purcell and Croft Building & Conservation to repair and refurbish the chapel, restore and interpret the grade II listed landscape, and deliver a new Welcome Centre and grounds building for Brown’s tercentenary celebrations.
The trio will be up against innovative and collaborative projects from across the West Midlands. The category winners will go forward to the national final. The West Midlands awards ceremony will be held on May 18.
