Ely Museum is one of 22 buildings across the East that have been shortlisted for a national design award.
It is among an eclectic mix ranging from a small copper clad home extension in Cambridge to a new youth and participation space at the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich.
All have shortlisted for 2022 RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) East Awards.
Design in Cambridgeshire is back and thriving as the county has won 11 of the 22 nominations.
Only shortlist contender is from Essex, Hertfordshire has three, five are from Suffolk and the remaining two from Norfolk.
RIBA East Regional Director, Louise Todd, said: “Given the challenges of the past two years, we were thrilled to see a significant number of entries to the RIBA East Awards this year.
“The shortlisted schemes across the region demonstrate the determination and design skill of all the practices involved, on projects large and small and across all sectors.”
She added: “They also show the enormous value that architects bring to these projects and how their expertise can be used to create better spaces for people to live, work and experience.
“My thanks to all the practices and clients that have submitted their projects this year”
All shortlisted projects will be assessed by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced later this Spring.
Regional award winners are considered for several RIBA Special Awards including the RIBA Sustainability Award and the RIBA Building of the Year.
Ely Museum re-opened last year following a £2.2m National Lottery Heritage Fund Redevelopment.
It closed its doors in September 2019, for what the team anticipated would be a 13-month closure.
However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the redevelopment was delayed by lockdowns and restrictions.
Galleries and interactive exhibitions are among the new features at the museum, as well as facilities including a lift, toilets and a new education space.
Not all visitors are enamoured of the new look museum.
“Sadly, the evidence that this museum is housed in the old gaol has been almost completely eradicated by white painted walls and downlights,” said one review on Trip Advisor.
“The museum is dull and could only interest someone who had never been to a museum before. If only the owners had seen the potential of an old town gaol and re-created the gaol, they would have had an interesting tourist attraction.”
But others are far more supportive,
Another view on Trip Advisor wrote: “The refurbishment has been very well done. I appreciated the air conditioning on a very hot day.
“There was plenty to see and information about the building, the town and the area was communicated in a variety of ways, to appeal to different people.
“A ticket gives you the right to revisit within 12 months. created the gaol, they would have had an interesting tourist attraction.”
For more information visit http://www.elymuseum.org.uk/
The shortlisted buildings are:
Cambridgeshire
1704_Wudhus, Cambridgeshire by Mole Architects
36 Storey’s Way, Churchill College, by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture
Civil Engineering Building, Cambridge by Grimshaw and RHP
Copper House, Cambridge by Butcher Bayley Architects
Cranmer Road, Cambridge by Allies and Morrison
Ely Museum by HAT Projects
Friars, St Ives by Mole Architects
Magdalene College Library, Cambridge by Niall McLaughlin Architects
Prospect House, Cambridgeshire by Ellis Miller + Partners
Sun Slice House, Cambridgeshire by Neil Dusheiko Architects
Wintringham Primary Academy, St Neots by dRMM Architects
Essex
Brentwood Preparatory School by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture
Hertfordshire
Central Surgery, Sawbridgeworth by Hawkins\Brown
Criss Cross House, Hertfordshire by Ashton Porter Architects
Shree Krishna Haveli at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Aldenham, Hertfordshire by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture
Norfolk
BlueSky Barn, Norfolk by 31/44 Architects & Taylor Made Space
Studio Nencini, Norwich by Alder Brisco (now Brisco Loran and James Alder Architect)
Suffolk
Aldeburgh House, Suffolk by David Walker Architects
Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre, Lowestoft by Cowper Griffith Architects
NW2 Participation Building and Theatre Square, Ipswich by WGP Architects
Stone Cottage, Suffolk by Haysom Ward Miller Architects
Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk by Nissen Richards Studio
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