Best Car Park Refurbishment

Sponsored by Makers Construction

This category is open to local authorities, private operators and key contractors working together to produce an outstanding refurbishment of an existing multi-storey, underground or surface car park. 

Such projects will create more than clean, bright, well signed, safe and structurally sound facilities, but also deliver aesthetically pleasing and safe gateways to destinations such as town centres, airports, rail stations, retail developments and leisure facilities. 

The judges are also looking for innovative engineering and repair solutions applied to the specific conditions and problems associated with car parks.

Entries in the Best New Car Park and Best Refurbishment categories will also be considered for special Architectural Achievement and/or Engineering Excellence trophies. These will recognise specific aesthetic or technical aspects of projects in the competition. To qualify the project must have been completed after 1 July 2014 and operational at time of entry to the awards.

DEADLINE: Entries must be nominated by 14 December 2015. Any entry received after this cannot be visited.

The criteria:

The judges will be looking for car parks whose design and construction:

• Meet the specific needs of the destination served

• Makes use of high quality materials and finish

• Shows innovative solutions to engineering challenges

• Show a degree of co-operation between the developer, designers and planning authority

• Features a sensitive, sympathetic and aesthetic treatment of the exterior

• Provides high quality, well-lit interiors

• Have well planned vehicle circulation paths

• Features excellent signing of vehicle and pedestrian paths

• Acts as gateway to destinations

• Makes arrangements for infrastructure maintenance (such as Life Care Plans).

The entry pack should include details of:

• A clear statement of why the refurbishment was needed

• The problems identified and the techniques employed to solve them

• Clear identification of 'Before' vs 'After' gains

• What was excluded from the scope of the refurbishment

• Structural and operational problems affecting the car park

• The process of defining and planning the repairs

• Number of spaces, levels, etc

• Construction processes (type of structural frame, building materials used, etc)

• Nature of vehicle circulation paths

• Budget (overall and per space)

• How the project was funded

• Payment systems and enforcement regime (if appropriate)

• Facilities for all categories of user - disabled people, motorcyclists and pedestrians

• Facilities and working conditions for staff

• Security arrangements (staffing, lighting, CCTV, help-points, etc)

• Environmental considerations during construction and when operational

• Signage arrangements, both internally and externally, for guiding drivers and pedestrians

• Safer Parking status

• Awards the car park has won.

Please supply:

1. Images of car park exterior and interior ('Before' and 'After' shots)

2. Full plans and circulation details

3. Details/diagram of traffic flow and site access/egress

4. Details/images of site signage

5. Full postal address so that shortlisted car parks can be easily located by the judges

6. Evidence of Park Mark, ESPA and other awards

7. Customer and client feedback.