First Stirling Prize winner at risk of demolition in Salford

The first building to ever win the RIBA Stirling Prize, the 29-year-old Centenary Building at the University of Salford, is threatened with demolition.

Completed in 1995 by British studio Hodder+Partners, the university building could be demolished as part of a major redevelopment of the surrounding area called Adelphi Village.

The Centenary Building was labelled Britain's best new building in 1996, taking home the first-ever Stirling Prize by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

It was hailed by judges as a "dynamic, modern and sophisticated exercise in steel, glass and concrete". However, it has stood vacant for the past eight years – almost a third of its built life.

Hodder+Partners, formerly Hodder Associates, designed the block for the university's School of Electrical Engineering, but upon completion, it was used by the Faculty of Art and Design Technology.

According to the Architects Journal, it has been at risk of demolition since 2018 after plans to convert the building to a school by British studio 5plus Architects were abandoned.

Demolition "wholly irresponsible"

This prompted the Twentieth Century Society to submit a listing application to Historic England last month in a bid to save it.

The charity has said demolition of the building would be "wholly irresponsible and unnecessary" and that it continues to await Historic England's assessment.

"The 'disciplined romanticism' of the Centenary Building at the University of Salford saw it recognised with numerous awards at the time of its completion, most notably the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996," the Twentieth Century Society told Dezeen.

"It's hugely disappointing that the commendable previous proposals for conversion to a school or for community use have floundered, and to now see the vacant building proposed for demolition," the Twentieth Century Society continued.

"That would be wholly irresponsible and unnecessary outcome, and we urge the university to reconsider."

The Twentieth Century Society added that the application is an "intriguing test case for the heritage status of previous Stirling Prize winners" as the prestigious award enters its 30th year – the age at which buildings typically become eligible for listing.

"If the buildings 'which have made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture' only have a shelf-life of 30 years, what does that say about the current state of British architecture?" it asked.

RIBA board chair Jack Pringle shared a similar sentiment, stating that all Stirling Prize-winning buildings should be considered for listing.

"There must be a case for all Stirling Prize-winning buildings to be considered for listing," he told Dezeen.

"By definition they are the best buildings of the year, and to list at least one modern building a year, after due consideration and maybe a little time, would not seem unreasonable."

Though Pringle would not comment on this specific case, he reiterated RIBA's stance on building reuse.

"We don't have the detail to comment definitively on this specific case, but we know, firstly, that the inventive reuse of buildings is critical to our net-zero future, and would always advocate for a whole life carbon assessment to understand whether reuse is truly feasible."

Centenary Building has "ageing infrastructure"

While Heritage England makes its assessment, the demolition of the Centenary Building is currently being backed by a team made up of Salford City Council, the University of Salford and development company English Cities Fund.

In a joint statement issued to Dezeen, the group said the four-storey building had been vacant "for a third of its built life" and is no longer fit for purpose.

"While the Centenary Building has been part of our university estate for a number of decades, unfortunately, its ageing infrastructure means it no longer meets modern standards and requirements," a spokesperson said.

"It has now been vacant for a third of its built life," it continued.

"Careful consideration has been given to the history of the building, and the partnership, which includes Salford City Council, ECF and the University of Salford, intends to demolish the building as part of the comprehensive development of Adelphi Village."

Hodder+Partners has been contacted for comment.

According to the Twentieth Century Society, there are several significant buildings currently under threat in the UK. Among them are three power station cooling towers in West Burton, which featured on The Risk List issued by the organisation in 2023.

Another on the list is the Museum of London, which has since been confirmed for demolition to make way for the London Wall West scheme.

The photography is by Hodder and Partners courtesy of the Twentieth Century Society unless otherwise stated. 

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