30th June 2017

Undershaw triumphs at LABC South East Building Excellence Awards

Undershaw, the former house of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Hindhead, Surrey, has been named as the Best Educational Building in the LABC South East Building Excellence Awards 2017, at a ceremony held on Friday 23rd June in Brighton.

The awards highlight excellent building practices and especially recognise professionals who have overcome technical and practical problems to produce great buildings.

Responsible for the structural and civil engineering elements of the project, Thomasons was part of the team that restored and redeveloped this Grade II listed building into Stepping Stones, a specialist school for young people with disabilities.

The house, built in 1896, was painstakingly restored to its original design and sensitively adapted to the pupils’ needs. Working with architects Nye Saunders, Thomasons designed a steel-framed extension, with a glass link to the original building, to house a performance hall, hydrotherapy pool and classrooms. A café and hospitality area were also added.

As a regional winner, the Undershaw project qualifies for the Grand Finals of the LABC Excellence Awards, which will be held in London on 10th November 2017.