Global accolade for award-winning residential scheme

The second phase of The School Yard which has already won a string of top awards has now received international recognition for its innovative metal cladding.

The residential development in one of Birmingham’s most desirable suburbs includes 13 units including one, two and three bedroomed apartments in a block that is clad in anthracite zinc.

The scheme is the only project of scale in the city to utilise the material which took eight weeks to administer as it has to be worked by hand to create the desired crafted finish.

The detailed finish to the main building – which was designed by Birmingham architects Bryant Priest Newman – was key to it recently winning a coveted RIBA award with EDG Property also scooping the region’s Client of the Year award.

The zinc was supplied by VMZINC and the project was entered by them into the international bi-annual Archizinc Awards which saw 158 projects submitted for consideration from 18 countries.

From these, 37 projects were shortlisted with The School Yard the only project from the UK. EDG Director Neil Edginton said he was delighted to see the project being considered alongside some major international projects.

He said: “The School Yard has already been recognised by RIBA and RICS as an exemplar of its kind in the region so it is fantastic that it is now being considered much further afield and against celebrated projects that eventually went on to win such as the new Museum of Fine Arts in Oviedo and a Rogers + Partners residential scheme in Taiwan.

“We are a design led developer who wants to create beautiful spaces and places and working with architects like BPN is a pleasure as they share the same ethos.   The School Yard is very much a testament to our shared beliefs.”