Entries for the 2025 York Design Awards will open in early 2025.

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York art gallery architects showcases “secrets” of award winning design

The architect responsible for the £8 million refurbishment of York Art Gallery, which won two categories of the York Design Awards in 2016, is hosting two sell-out tours this week.

Andy Davey from Simpson & Brown Architects has been invited by the York Design Awards committee to share his insights into the work that increased the gallery’s display space by 60 per cent: achieved by creating a new first-floor gallery in the space above the Main Gallery on the ground floor, together with an entirely new gallery above the existing South Gallery, and by expanding into the rooms next door to the gallery, formerly occupied by the City Archives. Simpson & Brown won the commission for the refurbishment in 2011 with joint venture partners, Ushida Findlay Architects.

The tours will be attended by the city’s property professionals, who are being urged to enter their own inspiring projects, completed in the last three years, into the 2017 York Design Awards.

Mr Davey said: “It was an honour to win the Lord Mayor’s Award and the public and community categories of the York Design Awards last year and I’m looking forward to coming back to share my inspiration and thinking behind the York Art Gallery redevelopment. The original building was completed in 1879, with many additions and demolitions over the years. The concept behind the gallery’s restoration has been a simple one: to unlock the secret spaces that previous inappropriate redevelopment had created. This included revealing a chequerboard-tiled floor, two glorious granite columns and an elaborate Victorian ceiling.”

The closing date for entries to the York Design Awards 2017 is 31st March; judging takes place on 24th and 25th April with winners announced at an event at York Racecourse on 26th June – including The Press People’s Award.

Award categories include conservation/restoration, commercial, open space, public and community, and residential.

Janet Hopton, Chair of the York Design Awards said: “York Design Awards encourage the highest standards of restoration and refurbishment of existing buildings and reward the best design in new buildings and spaces in York. York Art Gallery is an excellent example of this and was a worthy winner of two categories. We are delighted that Andy Davey has agreed to give these special tours and share the building’s secrets with us.”

The York Design Awards are now entering their eleventh year. Developers, architects, building owners and homeowners are encouraged to submit their projects for consideration in one or more of the eight categories.

The awards programme operates with the generous support of a number of sponsors who have a strong association with the city. Hiscox is once again the main sponsor, with additional high profile sponsors including Arup, O’Neill Associates, York Conservation Trust, Shepherd Group, York Civic Trust, City of York Council, York Guild of Building, George F White, Fulprint, Ravage Productions, Virgin Trains East Coast, The Partners Group, United by Design, The Grand Hotel & Spa.

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