Clark Contracts' work on the refurbishment of Mackintosh at the Willow has been shortlisted for the prestigious SPACES (Society for Public Architecture, Construction, Engineering and Surveying) award.

The winner of the UK-wide award will be announced at the Annual Awards and Presidents Dinner in October.

The Mackintosh at the Willow project was recently crowned the winner of the 'Building Conservation' and 'Project of the Year' awards at the 2019 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) awards.

Following on from success at the RICS awards, the project won an RIAS Award in the Leisure, Culture and Ecclesiastical category at the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) Awards held at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on 30 May 2019.

The original Tea Rooms were designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1903 and required restoration to ensure the building continued to be celebrated and enjoyed by future generations. Architects, Simpson and Brown, Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors, Doig and Smith, M&E Engineer Rybka and Structural Engineer, David Narro Associates were also part of the team involved in the prestigious project.


Gerry Cummins, Director, Clark Contracts said: "It is fantastic that this iconic project has been shortlisted for another high profile award! It is testament to the hard work that everyone involved in the project has invested to refurbish such a unique building."

The restored tea rooms now feature a new exhibition and visitor centre, learning and education suite, retail store and conference facilities.

The interactive exhibition area tells the story of Glasgow in the early 1900s at a time of social change, the growth of the tea houses and the collaboration between Miss Kate Cranston and architect designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

As part of the restoration works, Clark Contracts' Manufactured Joinery Division produced over 20 bespoke items, including bench seating, a bar/servery, baldacchino, ceiling grid, screens, wall linings and a fireplace. Drawings weren't available for many of the items meaning they had to be recreated using black and white photographs.

The project has also been shortlisted for the 'Re-use of a Listed Building' category of the Scottish Design Awards which take place on 22 August 2019.

(MH/CM)