University of Birmingham has been crowned a double winner at the 2022 West Midlands RICS Awards today.
The Edgbaston institute won a brace of awards at the annual ceremony which celebrates excellence in property restoration and construction across six different categories.
The university's Exchange building in Broad Street was named the region's best heritage project while its school of engineering on the main campus was the winner in the public sector category.
The Exchange, originally constructed in 1933 as the new headquarters of the Municipal Bank, is a historical building that's "essential to the city landscape", according to the RICS judging panel.
After lying vacant for 20 years, the grade II building was purchased in 2017 by the university and refurbished to provide a place to showcase research and technology and a new venue for conferences and events.
Its new £46.5 million school of engineering building is a "beacon of engineering excellence", RICS said, bringing multiple disciplines together to broaden the student experience with a holistic approach.
It includes a new centre of excellence in rail innovation which specialises in digital rail systems and improved methods for technology.
The other winners were the regeneration of Perry Barr in the residential category for the project to transform the old Birmingham City University campus in Aldridge Drive.
The £370 million scheme is providing up to 1,000 new homes for Birmingham City Council for both sale and rent, including affordable and critical extra care units on what was originally planned to be the athletes' village for this summer's Commonwealth Games.
The commercial development category was won by the new i9 office building in Wolverhampton city centre, described as a "truly exemplar project" which has brought together the private and public sectors to overcome viability barriers.
The building was delivered on programme and budget and is now fully let, including to what will be the first government department to have a head office outside of London when the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government relocates there in 2025.
The Daimler Powerhouse Building in Coventry was crowned community benefit winner for transforming the dilapidated former car factory into a collaborative art production facility.
Property investor Wigley Group played a key role in the inception, design, procurement, construction and funding of the regeneration in time for Coventry's year as UK City of Culture.
Completing the winners is Rugby's Houlton School, named top refurbishment and revitalisation project.
The site is a listed former home of Rugby Radio Station which dates back to 1929 and now houses a secondary school with three new blocks which RICS called an "outstanding community facility, celebrating the heritage significance of the historic station".
All of the winners will now go on to compete at the national awards in London in October.
Judging panel chairwoman Bryony Martin said: "These winning projects are a true testament to the hard work of property professionals in the West Midlands.
"The pandemic has led to the industry facing much uncertainty and challenging conditions but we were delighted, and very proud, to see such innovative building projects appearing across our cities and towns.
"The teams behind them have worked tirelessly and with incredible vision to create projects which provide tremendous benefit across a diverse range of areas.
"Through collaborating with other professionals, local surveyors have shown that they have the talent to deliver exemplary and, in many cases, world-class built projects.
"RICS is elated to recognise skills and dedication the teams behind these projects had in ensuring successful delivery and making a positive impact across the West Midlands."
