More award success

Last Friday I was in Edinburgh to receive another award for the shop front works in Cockemrouth. Of the 52 short listed national and international projects (whittled down from 306) Red Raven Design was one of the winners of the prestigious Civic Trust Award for 'Community Recognition'.

Civic Trust Awards Managing Director, Malcolm Hankey said: “The Civic Trust Awards celebrate not only design excellence, but also the relationship between structures, places, the environment and communities. Winning projects have demonstrated architectural excellence whilst offering cultural, social or economic benefit to the local community. We are delighted to bring the 2012 Civic Trust Awards Ceremony to Edinburgh and would like to take this opportunity to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for their support. The event attracted hundreds of leading architects and built environment professionals to the historic city for a wonderful evening of celebration.”


Bryson's one of the winning shop fronts designed by me!

Winner: Restoration of a Georgian Building in an Urban Setting

I'm very pleased to be able to post that this Monday at Christies in London I received on behalf of the Cockermouth Civic Trust from The Georgian Group an award for winner of "Restoration of a Georgian Building in an Urban Setting".

The award was in recognition of all the improvements to Cockermouth shop fronts since the floods. 15 shops so far have gone through major improvements as part of the grant aided scheme with the majority of them designed by me!

A small selection of some of the shops designed by Red Raven.....

Nearly the last shop

Despite my quiet blog things continue to be ongoing with improvements to Cockermouth Main Street. The latest completed shop to add to the long list of shops Red Raven has designed since the floods is Bryson's, the bakers.

Prior to the floods of 2009 Bryon's where based on the other side of Main Street nearer to Market Place. Moving to the old Blockbuster shop gave them the chance to make more of the passing bus stop trade.

The job was more than just a shop front enhancement as the whole building has been gutted and its layout changed to improve both the shop and the flat above. The previously centrally located staircase has been moved to the side so that the shop and flat above are no longer cut in half and have their own idependent entrance. The result is, even if I do say so myself, much better.


The new Bryson's Shop on Main Street, Cockermouth


As it was prior to the works.

Strolling4Shoes - shop number 2

The New Shop at 35 Main Street


How it used to look


The success of Strolling4Shoes re-modelled shop at 29 Main Street has been so successful that they have now moved to new larger and more prominent premises on the corner of Main Street and Station Street.

I'm pleased to say it's yet another re-vamped shop I can add to my list (...and there are still more to come!).

2 more new shop fronts

The improvements to Cockermouth town centre continue with the restoration of 2 shop fronts to Market Place - that's 5 completed by me so far and another 3 still to come.


Before


...and after

3 New Shop Fronts

Designing traditional shop fronts is a bit of a departure from normal as I usually advocate more contemporary design. But any good designer will explain it is the medium that directs what is the most appropriate response. And in this case the small Georgian and Victorian fronted buildings that make up Cockermouth town centre are more appropriately dressed up as they where originally intended.

So far I’ve completed three new replacement shop fronts with another 3 on site at the moment. The first two shop fronts to be completed were Strolling4Shoes and Lee’s Takeaway. Lloyds TSB came a few months later and was as a response to the corporate image driven restoration Lloyds TSB had only just completed. After lengthy negotiation they agreed to my design and implemented it faithfully. I’m sure I made no friends in the process but it is fair to say that Lloyds TSB were far more flexible than I imagined and responded positively to the will of the people - they should be recognised for doing so.


Strolling4Shoes - before


Strolling4Shoes - after


Lee's Takeaway - before


Lee's Takeaway - after


Lloyds TSB - before


Lloyds TSB - after

Things have certainly changed since the floods and Cockermouth is well on the way to being a better town than it was before. http://redravendesign.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html

A better town following the floods

Wearing my Civic Trust hat I’ve been rather busy promoting the potential opportunities for improvement to the built environment the floods of the 19th November have provided. The effort has been somewhat more time consuming than I’d anticipated but to miss the chance of a lifetime to dramatically improve the architectural heritage of Cockermouth would be inexcusable.

The task to enthuse and bring together all parties from businesses to statutory authorities is not an easy one but it has been achieved and everyone involved is of the same mind I am – Cockermouth can and will be a better place.

The stage we are at now has moved from a desire to the first stages of actually achieving the goals set. Red Raven has been commissioned to replace the existing shop front of 29 Main Street improving the presence for Strolling4Shoes when they return in early spring, and probably the most criticised shop front – that of Mills - is to be replaced with something a lot more in keeping. RR is not involved in the design but through the Civic Trust I am one of the consultees involved through the planning process. Other shops are also in the process of contemplating replacing their not-so-great street presence.

This is all obviously not cheap but the efforts of the committee/team (chaired by me!) have managed to secure some grant aid which can be used to top up insurance claims and allow something better to be built. I hope we can secure more money and help and to that end the regeneration committee made up of councillors, planners, building control officers, local architects, the Chamber of Trade etc have had several successful meetings with those that, if cannot directly contribute, can influence those that can. At the risk of being accused of name dropping (and also giving a laugh to those that know me) Prince Charles is one of those who is involved along with advisors with post-Katrina experience and some other influential individuals.

All in all things look good for the future.

An exhibition of shop fronts new, old, possibles and proposed is to open on 21st December (2-6.00pm) for local businesses and then to the public from 22nd at Christ Church, South Street.