Judges of the bi-annual 2014 British Gypsum National Trophy competition, which celebrates craftsmanship and skills in traditional plastering and modern plasterboard systems, have awarded six innovative projects for excellence in design and application.

Winners of the competition include the 19th century Theatre Royal Drury Lane and an office known as the ‘most environmentally friendly building in the world’.

The restoration of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, which dates back to 1812, was recognised in the ‘Plaster Solutions’ category. The project involved updating the Georgian construction to allow integration with modern mechanical and electrical installation, air conditioning and lighting.

Specialist contractor Locker & Riley used plaster in a traditional manner as well as innovative ways to blend new with old. The fine enrichments and details were very fragile and these were removed to form casts of leaves and cornice with Fine Casting Plaster before being reinstated and blended in with the new castings. The arched walls within the lunettes also needed to be renovated. This was achieved with ThistleBond-It before being either plastered with Thistle Bonding Coat plaster or receiving a skim with Thistle Board Finish depending on thickness required.

The Co-operative building in Manchester, which achieved the highest ever score for an office building under BREEAM, was recognised in the ‘Innovative and Sustainable Solutions’ category. The building received a BREEAM rating of 95.16 per cent.

Horbury Building Systems’ worked in the open plan areas which required sound insulating, along with the large 14 floor atrium, which has benefited from an acoustic treatment to help reduce the reverberation within the cathedral like space. The impressive glazed dome roof required the installation of the drywall to be of the highest standard.

The other projects which were recognised include:

  • Hayes Primary School (Plasterboard Category)
  • Oakfield Primary School (Segment Solutions)
  • Lakshore (Residential)
  • Serpentine Sacker Gallery (Mixed Use)

The six winners will represent the UK in the 9th Saint-Gobain International Trophy in Berlin in June 2015.

For more information, please visit http://www.british-gypsum.com/about-us/saint-gobain-gyproc-trophy