Tate Modern wins Prime Minister's Award

Sir Stuart Lipton, CABE chair (1999 - 2004), talks about the breadth of projects submitted for the Award.

There were 177 submissions for Awards this year. From sewarage works in Edinburgh to pristine public spaces like the Great Court scheme at the British Museum and the Eden project in Cornwall, from the outlet pipe of Keighley Moor reservoir to the Ramsgate Harbour approach road.

Along with an excellent standard of entries for all the BCIA Awards, I am pleased to say that the inaugural Prime Minister's Award for Better Public Building (sponsored by CABE and the OGC) attracted a far reaching range of projects.

When Tony Blair stood up at 10 Downing Street this time last year, soon after CABE was formed, and said 'good architecture is good business, good for the environment and good for people' we knew that this was a government with whom we at CABE would be speaking the same language.

Therefore, extremely pleased that Andrew Smith, Chief Secretary to Treasury, is able to be here to present the Awards. He's been a particularly good friend to CABE, as have the Treasury and their colleagues at OGC. Who would have thought ten years ago that a Treasury minister would be rewarding buildings for being best value rather than lowest cost?

If we are able to make the people who hold the purse strings feel passionately about the quality of the built environment, then we will be able to create a better built environment which has benefits for us all.

We were looking for evidence of an holistic approach. Buildings and projects need to change people's lives to be effective. They need to be fun to uplift the spirits, to generate business value as well as to be efficient for their users and their personnel. At the same time good management, design, accountability, construction and project value were prerequisites for success, and importantly whole life cost and of course architecture.

We were searching for wit as well as wisdom. It is, after all, only by combining all these skills that excellence can be created.

There were many small projects of high value. Housing schemes which showed that affordable housing can be delivered with high quality and low cost. Bridges made by unconventional ship building means.

We all enjoyed seeing many projects of a good standard, particularly lottery projects, there are schemes in progress - both in the public and private sectors.

It was a particular pleasure seeing splendid projects. The BCIA should take credit for encouraging high standards and a holistic approach to construction. I see so many lost opportunities in my job at CABE, projects which are simply not up to scratch, new blots on the landscape. The tower blocks of the sixties reincarnated. I have recently seen schools which look little better than agricultural sheds and housing unlikely to exist in 20 years time.

All buildings deserve to be specified and designed with the same standard of love, care and expertise. It's not a question of cost but of skill. Great clients produce great buildings. Social and economic value changing peoples lives.

My thanks go to all the judges for their expert advice, and to David Helsen for the organisation. Everyone proved to be adept at spotting winners and losers. Overall the judges were delighted with the quality of the winners but more of that later.