TWO prominent Suffolk buildings and one in Essex are among eight in the East of England to be recognised with an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

TWO prominent Suffolk buildings and one in Essex are among eight in the East of England to be recognised with an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Trinity Park Events Centre at Trinity Park in Ipswich (van Heyningen and Haward Architects, London), the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds (Levitt Bernstein Associates, London) and the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall at the University of Essex in Colchester (Patel Taylor, London) all received the prestigious accolade.

RIBA East received 29 entries for the 2008 Awards and earlier this year it announced 15 shortlisted schemes. Following visits by judges at the start of April, eight were successful in achieving the industry accolade.

Other winners in the region were: the Wysing Arts Centre (architects Hawkins/Brown, London) and Accordia (Lavington Architects, London) both in Cambridge; the Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough (Foster & Partners, London); Clarendon Muse in Watford (Tim Ronalds Architects, London); and a private house in St Albans (Simon Condor Associates, London).

Louise Todd, regional director for RIBA East, said: “We congratulate the clients and the architects of the award-winning buildings in the East. These schemes demonstrate high quality architecture and innovative design approaches with both new and historic buildings.

“The RIBA Awards reward the beset of our architecture in the region and recognise the design expertise of our members.”

All eight RIBA East award winners go forward for consideration for the RIBA National Awards which are judged and presented nationally by building type. The national winners are announced at a gala dinner in London in June.

The RIBA East awards will be presented at the regional annual Spirit of Ingenuity Awards ceremony and dinner at Queen's College, Cambridge in September.