Overall winner of the Fenland District Council Building Design Awards, Cirrus, White Fen Farm in Whittlesey Road Benwick, held at the Boathouse, Wisbech. Mrs Wendy Burton with L-R Sid Dickerson and Ted Brand of Brand Associates.

GALLERY: All the pictures from Fenland Building Design Awards won by stunning farmhouse

Thursday, June 23, 2011
5:33 PM

A STUNNING farmhouse which offers beautiful panoramic views of the Fens was last night crowned the winner of the 2011 Fenland Building Design Awards.

White Fen Farm, Benwick.

Cirrus, constructed on farmland at White Fen Farm, Whittlesey Road, Benwick, won two awards at the awards, staged at the Boathouse Business Centre, Wisbech, including the coveted trophy for overall winner.

The fourth awards, held by Fenland District Council in conjunction with the Cambs Times/Wisbech Standard, was attended by planning chiefs, designers, architects, builders and property owners whose projects were shortlisted for one of 13 categories.

Also in attendance were sponsors Collingwoods of March, Roberto Mac of March and Rose Homes of Whittlesey. Haven Home Improvements, of Wisbech, also sponsored the awards but were unable to attend the event.

The judging panel, which included representatives from the council’s planning and building control departments as well as Cambs Times/Wisbech Standard editor John Elworthy, selected Cirrus and the new Middle Level Commissioners office in March as the two contenders for the overall winner prize.

Cirrus, White Fen Farm, Benwick

Factfile

Owned by the Burton family and built by Sid Dickinson of March, the farmhouse was entered in this year’s competition by designers Brand Associates.

Architect Ted Brand said: “This farmhouse, in a typical Fenland open landscape, takes full advantage of its location, with stunning panoramic views from its dramatic semi-circular south facing front.

“A combination of open plan linked rooms and traditional cellular rooms give contemporary, visually interesting spaces, including a dining area/hall with overlooking glass gallery and curved stairs.

“The use of slate roof, with timber and brick walls and the horizontal window bands, reflect the flat Fenland landscape.

“Landscape planting will be undertaken this year and this will further enhance the design with simple grass, shrubs and trees.”

Announcing the winner, Mr Elworthy said it took some time to reach agreement and believed, after site visits, that both added substantially to Fenland’s heritage.

The setting and design of the Middle Level building was exceptional and it blended in remarkably well into the Fen landscape.

Cirrus, the judges agreed, had been skilfully designed providing an exceptional home with panoramic views across the Fens.

Mr Elworthy said the judges felt the decision by Middle Level not to create a substantial open plan arena but to revert to traditional individual offices was, in their opinion, a detracting feature.

“It was, of course, their decision and it would have been presumptuous of us to have imposed our views on their planning but in terms of overall effect we felt this was an opportunity lost,” he said.

“Also, though, there was something special about the house at Benwick that just have it the edge.”

Cirrus also won the Best New Dwelling category at last night’s awards. Judges particularly praised a “horizontal emphasis which visually ties the building into the flat landscape”.

• Return to this website tomorrow for full winner details.