The £10 million Cathedral project has won a highly prestigious award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for its high architectural standards and its contribution to the local environment. In total, 58 new buildings across the UK and EU have received RIBA Awards. All will now be competing for the RIBA Stirling Prize in association with The Architects’ Journal , which Channel 4 will televise for the third year running on 13 October. The shortlist will be announced on 12 September.

The Cathedral's Architect, Richard Griffiths and the project architect, Ptolemy Dean were present at the award announcements with the Dean, the Very Rev Colin Slee.

The Dean commented: “This is truly prestigious recognition. The Cathedral's buildings have been judged to be as outstanding as the Gateshead Millennium Bridge by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Richard Rogers Partnership's Lloyds register of shipping in the City of London, and John McAslan's Royal Academy of Music.

“Major internationally known practices like Norman Foster Partners who designed the Great Court of the British Museum and Millennium Bridge, and Allies and Morrison's landscaping at Tate Britain were not considered or failed to reach awards.”

RIBA Stirling Prize in association with The Architects’ Journal is the UK’s most prestigious architectural prize and is awarded annually to the architects of the building which has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year. Winners must be RIBA Members and the building may be anywhere in the European Union. The prize is named after the architect Sir James Stirling 1926-1992. The winner receives £20,000.

EXTRACT FROM THE JURY REPORTS

Southwark Cathedral Millennium Project, London SE1

The brief called for the cathedral’s role as the spiritual focus of the South Bank to be emphasized more strongly; to increase access to the cathedral and its precinct for disabled visitors; and to create a new entrance for visitors who approached the cathedral from the riverside walk to the North. It also required new ancillary accommodation, which included a refectory, shop and theological library.

The planning concept of a linking ‘street’ runs parallel to the cathedral and provides a shop at ground level, extending into a new exhibition located within the existing building. This street has been named “Lancelot’s Link”, after Bishop Lancelot Andrewes, who translated parts of the Old Testament in the King James’s Bible. A former Roman Road and a 17th-18th century Delftware pottery kiln which were revealed during construction works have been conserved and left exposed at the east end of the street.

This new range is of limestone and Norfolk flint, with a Westmoreland slate roof with copper detailing – all materials that are compatible with the cathedral and thus tie the new and the old work together.

The new buildings create a series of spaces that respect and gain inspiration from the historic context, adopting a range of traditional and contemporary materials and construction. Development of the site skillfully links the new range with the cathedral, providing a tourist attraction, whilst maintaining the calm and sanctity of the religious site itself.

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