West Court scoops RIBA East Award

Our new development of West Court has scooped yet another prize - winning a RIBA East Award 2018.

Announced at a ceremony last night (24 May 2018), the award citation states: "This extension to Jesus College manages the difficult trick of feeling entirely old fashioned in its use of hand crafted materials like oak, elm, red clay floor tiles and a soft red brick while remaining entirely modern in its loose geometry, use of daylight and simplicity of forms." 

Regional award winners go on to be considered for a RIBA National Award, with the shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for best building of the year drawn from those national award winners.

Alumnus Tom McGlynn (1998) of Niall McLaughlin Architects was also named RIBA East Project Architect of the Year Award 2018 for his work on West Court, the judging panel stating: "Everywhere the architecture is based on the use of weighty materials with a surface, colour and texture of their own. Jesus College now offers a sequence of rational, thoughtful spaces that seems inevitable, but we know took a great deal of architectural skill and determination to deliver." The College sends Tom our hearty congratulations.

These latest awards come after previous wins in the Conservation, Alteration or Extension of an Existing Building category at the Cambridge Design and Construction Awards, and being named overall winner at the American Institute of Architects UK Chapter Excellence in Design Awards 2018.

West Court is the largest addition to the historic Jesus College site in modern times. This amazing space includes the180 seat Frankopan Hall, Laura Case medical teaching suite, guest and conference accommodation, a café bar, research space and student social areas - benefitting our students, academics and alumni. The development was officially opened by His Royal Highness, The Earl of Wessex in October 2017.