Young contractor Belvin Construction has been shortlisted for a leading architectural award for its work on Barrow House at Hatcliffe.

The firm, which formed just over two years ago, helped deliver the family home in the Lincolnshire Wolds, which was designed by ID Architecture in Grimsby.

The project has already won the title of 'Best Individual New Home' in the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2019 and has been featured in Grand Designs magazine. Adding to that, the project has now been named as one of 11 properties to be shortlisted in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Yorkshire Awards 2020.

Barrow House is a bespoke, contemporary family home that's partially subterranean. Resembling a modest, modern barn from the roadside, the lower storey is concealed beneath a wildflower meadow. When viewed from the valley however, the house opens up to reveal a contemporary glass, concrete and metal structure which seems to defy gravity.

Steve Turner, managing director of Belvin Construction said: "I'm absolutely gobsmacked. When we started our business a little over two years ago, we never would have imagined that one of our first projects would be shortlisted for a RIBA award.

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"ID Architecture's designs were stunning and we were honoured to have been chosen to bring their drawings to life. Barrow House was a challenging build, making use of new materials and new techniques to create a one-of-a-kind property that's genuinely beautiful.

"We're very proud of Barrow House and I couldn't be happier that it's been shortlisted for this prestigious award alongside so many magnificent buildings."

Andy Inch from ID Architects added: "Barrow House gave us an opportunity to work for some wonderful clients on a truly interesting site. It was our first Paragraph 55 house and we are truly grateful for the ongoing success and recognition the whole team has received for this fantastic project. For it to be shortlisted for an RIBA award is the icing on the cake. Belvin did a great job on this project, managing the budgetary requirements and design quality on what was a very unique build." 

Other properties shortlisted for the RIBA Yorkshire Awards are: Leeds Playhouse, Manor Ridge Barn in North Yorkshire, Doncaster Enterprise Market, The Longhouse in York, Park, St Albans Place in Leeds, Nexus in Leeds, The Old School in North Yorkshire, Engineering Heartspace at the University of Sheffield, Thorney Barn in Calderdale and the Barbara Hepworth Building at the University of Huddersfield.

RIBA Yorkshire Judging Panel Chair, Peter Cartwright, commented: "This year's shortlist of potential RIBA award winners in Yorkshire covers a wide range of sectors with many schemes reinventing existing buildings rather than building new, which is great to see. We are very interested in the operation and performance of buildings, as opposed to purely how they look – their beauty must be more than skin deep. We believe awards should go to buildings which will continue to look good for years to come, taking into consideration their low carbon strategy and approach to whole life cost."

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 04 June 2020. Properties which win at the regional RIBA awards will be considered for a highly coveted RIBA National Award.

(CM/MH)