Encouraging high standards
We are proud to organise the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards in partnership with the Chilterns Conservation Board. The purpose of this highly respected award is to encourage the highest possible quality of building design to conserve and enhance the character and beauty of the Chilterns.
The Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society run the Buildings Design Awards competition every two years to encourage and recognise great examples of design and construction based on the principles in the Chilterns Buildings Design Guide. In previous years, the Awards have focused on celebrating design and construction that positively contributes to the distinctive character of the Chiltern Hills’ environment, with a nod towards sustainable construction. This year, with increased global awareness of climate change, and the impact this is having on the nature of the environment, and particularly on biodiversity, we want to recognise designs that make a powerful contribution to mitigating and/or adapting to climate change, as well as promoting the local distinctiveness.
We want to inspire builders, designers, and people in the community to be part of the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards and stimulate them to celebrate and promote outstanding examples of their winning sustainable building work across the Chilterns.
This is a great opportunity to showcase a successful building project. Entries are welcome from architects, builders, planners and the public. The deadline for submissions for the next awards will be announced here soon.
The awards are presented in the autumn at the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards ceremony.
What are the categories?
In all categories, the “building” may be a single building, group of buildings or other structure, that may be in residential, commercial or another use, including a mix of uses. The project being considered for an award may be a new building or a conversion, extension, renovation or other significant alteration. For how the awards work and for entries, please see below.We are proud to organise the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards in partnership with the Chilterns Conservation Board. The purpose of this highly respected award is to encourage the highest possible quality of building design to conserve and enhance the character and beauty of the Chilterns.
The Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society run the Buildings Design Awards competition every two years to encourage and recognise great examples of design and construction based on the principles in the Chilterns Buildings Design Guide. In previous years, the Awards have focused on celebrating design and construction that positively contributes to the distinctive character of the Chiltern Hills’ environment, with a nod towards sustainable construction. This year, with increased global awareness of climate change, and the impact this is having on the nature of the environment, and particularly on biodiversity, we want to recognise designs that make a powerful contribution to mitigating and/or adapting to climate change, as well as promoting the local distinctiveness.
We want to inspire builders, designers, and people in the community to be part of the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards and stimulate them to celebrate and promote outstanding examples of their winning sustainable building work across the Chilterns.
This is a great opportunity to showcase a successful building project. Entries are welcome from architects, builders, planners and the public. The deadline for submissions for the next awards will be announced here soon.
The awards are presented in the autumn at the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards ceremony.
What are the categories?
In all categories, the “building” may be a single building, group of buildings or other structure, that may be in residential, commercial or another use, including a mix of uses. The project being considered for an award may be a new building or a conversion, extension, renovation or other significant alteration. For how the awards work and for entries, please see below.
How it works
The Chilterns Buildings Design Awards recognise the outstanding examples of building design relating to sustainability principles, thereby committing to the main priorities of both organisations of:
- Reducing the carbon footprint of the Chilterns through a combination of new build environmental performance, renewable energy generation, protection, and improvement of Chilterns green infrastructure.
- Contributing to the distinctiveness of the Chilterns, conserving and enhancing the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its setting and the wider Chilterns landscape.
- Promoting innovative, sustainable building design that helps to improve the environment and well-being of occupants.
Details of previous winners are available from the Chilterns Conservation Board.
Terms of entry
Entry requirements and category-specific criteria for the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards are as follows:
- Entries can be made by members of the public, from clients, designers, building surveyors, contractors, and local authorities.
- The scheme must be within the Chiltern Society area.
- The scheme must have been completed in the course of the previous three years.
- The scheme must be compliant with planning and building regulations.
- The scheme can be nominated for more than one selected category (see Best ‘Green’ ‘Modern’ and/or Traditional’ Building selection criteria below).
- Please describe how your entry fulfils the criteria for each category under which it has been entered.
- Please obtain permission from the owners and occupiers of the building for the use of photographs and for the judges to visit, if required.
- To ensure the judges understand the design, submissions should be accompanied by a selection of materials capable of being understood if printed out at A4; these should include a mix of photos and drawings and should show the building’s main elevations and its location, including in relation to other buildings or landscape features. You can also send links to drawings already online. A short-list for judges’ visits will be prepared based on the information given.
- The Nomination Form with your entry documents and photos for the scheme need to be submitted by [date TBC]. Conversions, alterations and extensions should include ‘before and after’ photographs if possible.
- The awards will be presented in [date TBC] at the Chiltern’s Buildings Design Awards ceremony.
The judges will use the specific criteria below to judge your scheme/application. The best three in each category will be shortlisted. One of the three winners in each category will be crowned as the overall winner.
Nomination form
Deadline for submissions is 31st July 2021.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact Rasa Akelyte-Rashid: design@chilternsociety.org.uk
Other ways to get involved
Business membership
