Forget the Tate Gallery and the Greater Manchester Stadium - a cardboard classroom at a Westcliff school has scooped two prestigious national architect awards.
Children and teaching staff at the Westborough Primary School beat off stiff competition to win the Stephen Lawrence Prize and the Royal Institute of British Architects Sustainability award at a special ceremony held in Gateshead.
The top award - the RIBA Stirling Prize - was won by the designers of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.
Award winner - the cardboard classroom at Westborough Primary School is popular with pupils Picture: MAXINE CLARKE
Now the architects behind the novel classroom, London-based Cottrell and Vermeulen Architecture Associates, are planning a new scheme at the school in Macdonald Avenue - a playground made out of reused building materials.
Headteacher Jenny Davies said: "Many of the children stayed up to see the awards ceremony, which was televised quite late on Channel 4, and there were a lot of bleary eyes the next day.
"It was extremely pleasing to win the Stephen Lawrence Prize, which was open to buildings under the cost of £200,000. It showed that all the hard work was worth it."
Work on the unique classroom began two years ago and was completed last October.
Published Wednesday October 16, 2002
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