Best buildings of 2016 revealed

Tate Modern Switch House was chosen as The Times Critic’s Choice; describing the extension as the ‘chief’ among the several long awaited cultural projects to complete in 2016. Edwin Heathcote, Financial Times, commented; “It spans the darkness and the light, the rough and the smooth, the archaeological and the futuristic.”

The Tate Modern extension was hugely welcome as visitor numbers since its opening in 2000 exceeded all expectations, averaging five million annually. The extension also includes additional learning spaces, retail areas, offices and a café. Opened to the public on 17th June 2016, in the first month alone the new Tate Modern welcomed one million visitors.

Appointed by the Trustees of Tate, Ramboll’s role in the Tate Modern extension began in 2008. Our integral work included structural, geotechnical, civil, and façade engineering and environmental consultancy.

Featuring in seventh place in The Times top ten list is Hastings Pier; its position awarded for ‘… welcoming what the fire had done to sweep away the clutter … the minimalist design has slowly won over the locals and the town has never looked better.’

Following decades of abuse and a devastating fire in 2010, the much loved Victorian pleasure pier at Hastings was brought back to life thanks to a group of local people, funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and dRMM Architects. Ramboll played a key role in the restoration and regeneration of Hastings Pier, offering strategic advice to both the Pier Trust and Hastings Borough Council. At detailed design and construction phase, services provided on the project included structural design and laser scanning for the repairs to the substructure and design of the buildings.  The project also required significant technical input on heritage, conservation engineering, marine engineering, building services, façades, environment and ecology.

Hastings Pier and Tate Modern Switch House were also amongst The Guardian’s top five buildings of 2016. The Switch House is described as having “The grandest staircase in London" and the rebuilding of the fire-wrecked Hastings Pier was praised for doing “a lot with a little” and enabling visitors "undistracted by clutter, to inhale the experience – the view, the light, the air.”

The accolades for Hastings Pier also include recently being named ‘Pier of the Year 2017’ by the National Pier Society. Commenting on the Pier Of The Year award Maria Ludkin, Chair of the Hastings Pier Trustees, said: “We are absolutely delighted that our wonderful community-owned pier has won this prestigious award. It is thanks to our dedicated staff, hardworking volunteers and all the visitors who have supported us.”

Gavin Henderson, President of the National Piers Society, said: “Well done Hastings, truly a Phoenix, and a great example for other restoration battles!”