Frequently Asked Questions

Are there specific categories for entry to the Awards Scheme?

Projects can be entered into the following categories:

Civic Trust Awards "Standard" (an individual building, structure or space) eg a library, office, restaurant, community centre.
Civic Trust Awards "Large/Multi-Use Projects" (multiple buildings,use classes, structures or spaces on one site by the same architecture practice) eg housing development, university campus.
Pro-Tem Awards (for temporary projects or installations)
AABC Conservation Awards

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that you have entered your project into the correct category. Should your project be entered into the incorrect category, then it will be deemed unsuccessful.

Can I enter my project into both the Civic Trust Awards and AABC Conservation Awards?

Yes, If your project is both new build and conservation, you can apply for both a Civic Trust Award and Civic Trust AABC Conservation Award. Your project would then be eligible to win in both categories. Separate applications would need to be entered and 2 application fees paid. Previous winners in both catagories are Westminster Abbey Triforium Project by Ptolemy Dean Architects & MUMA and The Painted Hall by Hugh Broughton Architects.

Can I submit multiple projects of different types/use classes under one application?

Large/Muti-use projects have become increasingly popular and we felt it was appropriate to allow these schemes to be considered under one entry should the practice responsible wish to submit.

These can be large scale developments that contain two or more main buildings on one site and developed as a single entity, eg housing developments, university campus, mixed-use public realm and infrastructure projects.

Projects must be fully completed, including any landscaping or ancillary works and be designed by the same architecture practice.

There is no limit on the number of buildings, structures or spaces that can be included within this application. The applicant must state the number of buildings, structures or spaces that are to be judged on the application system and provide clear information and supporting documents and photographs.

If various architects have worked on the project, then they are responsible for entering the elements of the project that they are responsible for and cannot submit under one Multi-Use Application.

The buildings/spaces must all be on one site and not in multiple locations around a town/city.

Assessment Teams visiting the scheme must be able to fully assess all completed elements of the project included within the application.

If Assessors decide that the scheme cannot be fully assessed due to the incomplete nature of the scheme or any adjacent works, then the application would be considered unsuccessful. In such instances, resubmission will be permitted the following year (additional application fee payable).

The application fee for a multi-use application is £650 +VAT per entry. Should you prefer to submit individual elements of the multi-use scheme under separate entries, the standard application fee of £250 +VAT per entry will apply.

N.B. We do not accept masterplans.

The applicant must state the number of buildings, structures or spaces that are to be judged on the application system and provide clear information and supporting documents and photographs.

Assessment Teams visiting the scheme must be able to fully assess all completed elements of the project included within the application.

The application fee for a Multi-Use application is £650 +VAT per entry. Should you prefer to submit individual elements of the multi-use scheme under separate entries, the standard application fee of £250 +VAT per entry will apply.

N.B. We do not accept masterplans.

Do I need to complete all sections of the application?

Yes, each section makes up the key criteria to support a successful entry. We strongly recommend that you consult with your access consultant when completing the Universal Design Section. Please DO NOT make reference to your practice or any organisation involved in the text elements of the entry, to ensure judging remains impartial.

What are the word/character limits on the application?

For the Scheme Description, Sustainability, Inclusive/Universal Design and Community Impact sections of the application form, the character limit for Civic Trust Awards entries is 5000 characters per section including all spaces and special characters (bullet points, commas, full stops etc).

For Pro-Tem and AABC Conservation Entries the character limit is 5000 per section, plus an additional 5000 for Pro-Tem Details and 10000 for Conservation Details. All character limits include spaces, commas, full stops and other special characters.

Please DO NOT make reference to your practice or any organisation in the text elements of the entry, to ensure judging remains impartial.

Credits

Also, please ensure ALL credits and contacts are listed at the time of application as these will appear in the winners brochure and on certificates/website should the project be successful.

Can I submit phased projects?

Yes, as long as the phase is on one site and is fully completed in terms of landscaping, parking etc and the determination of the projects success will not be impacted by ongoing works.

Can I resubmit a project that has been entered previously and was unsuccessful?

If a project was considered unsuccessful due to its incomplete nature, or if there were access issues or other problems which resulted in difficulties when undertaking the assessment visit, it may be possible to resubmit the entry. Please email us to discuss resubmission.

Can I enter a private house?

Whilst it is possible to enter a private residence to the Civic Trust Awards or AABC Conservation Awards, in addition to architectural merit, our assessment criteria also considers issues such as sustainability and community impact and engagement - for example, the contribution of the project to the streetscape. Successful applications must also demonstrate how they meet these criteria.

Can I enter projects from overseas?

Yes, we are always delighted to receieve entries from all over the world submitted to the Civic Trust Awards for consideration. This is not limited to just UK practices working abroad, overseas applicants can also submit their projects to us.

What are the eligibility dates for completion of schemes?

For 2024 entries, schemes completed between 1st September 2019 and 1st September 2023 are eligible to apply. If your completion date falls outside this window, it still may be possible to enter. Please email us for more details.

How many images can I submit? What is the maximum size of images?

Up to 20 images (JPEG only) or 30 images for Multi-Use Projects can be submitted in support of each application and uploaded to our online application portal. Each image should be no larger than 5MB in size. Images supplied at application stage are used for production of the winners’ brochure and on our website. Photos must be supplied in high resolution JPEG format (not PDF or TIFF) within the max 5MB limit. All photos must be clean images (free from borders, notes, text etc) and must not be a picture collage. We would recommend including the photo credit within the image file name.

PLEASE ENSURE WHEN NAMING IMAGES, YOU DO NOT INCLUDE ANY SPECIAL CHARACTERS OR SYMBOLS (e.g. & or ©) AS THIS IS LIKELY TO CORRUPT THE FILES AT UPLOAD STAGE.

We also encourage you to include a short video of the scheme (1 min max) A link to the video (hosted on YouTube or similar platform) should be included as part of your entry.

Can I submit plans and cross sections of the project?

There is a facility to upload three multiple page PDF documents to our online application system to accompany your entry at a suitable scale. Your application should be accompanied by the following supporting documentation and uploaded as part of your submission:

Site Context Plan - please include a site plan (PDF format) of the scheme of sufficient scale (eg 1:1250 or 1:500) to show the site in relation to streetscape and surrounding buildings. A multiple page PDF can be submitted (max file size 5MB per PDF)
Ground floor plans and Cross Sections (PDF format) must be submitted if the application is for a building, at suitable scale (eg 1.100 or 1:200 for larger projects). If the project is an extension or conversion, before and after plans should be submitted and clearly labelled, or the extension marked in a red colour for clarity. A multiple page PDF can be submitted (max file size 5MB per PDF).
Landscaping Plan (PDF format) OPTIONAL - for landscaping or Public Realm projects, a plan showing scheme layout/scheme details can be included. A multiple page PDF can be submitted (max file size 5MB per PDF).

These do not need to be A4/A3 size as assessors will view these documents on screen and can zoom into certain elements of the document.

Reuse/Adaption projects

If the scheme is a Reuse/Adaption project, extension or conversion, or for AABC Conservation Awards entries, before and after plans should be submitted and clearly labelled. Additions/extensions should be marked in red for clarity. Before and after pictures can also be included within this multiple page PDF which will be used for judging purposes only and not for production of the brochure.

Can I send additional information to support my application such as literature, DVD’s etc?

No, we do not accept additional literature to accompany your application (such as reports, news articles etc) in hard copy as assessors and judges need to be able to view all documents online.

Can I pay my entry fee over the phone?

No. Entry fees must be paid via the online assessment centre using a credit/debit card at the time of submission. Discounts of £100 will be applied to each entry submitted by a Civic Trust Awards member organisation or practice. To become a Member, please CLICK THIS LINK

Is there a discount to application fees for charities, community groups or not-for-profit organisations?

Unfortunately, as a not-for-profit organisation ourselves, we need to cover the cost of the administration of the Civic Trust Awards and as such, are unable to offer further discounts on the application fee unless you are a member of the Civic Trust Awards. Membership details can be found here

Can someone from the architecture practice be there during the assessment visit?

In order to keep the judging and assessment process impartial, we DO NOT require anyone from the architecture practice to be present during the assessment visit. We ask that access provision (where necessary) is provided by someone who is based at the scheme or the client. Our assessors do not require a formal presentation of the scheme, but do require access to all elements that form part of the application, both internal and external.

Are all schemes visited?

Where possible, projects are visited by our assessors during September and October as part of the fist stage assessment process. However, for international entries and in some areas of the UK where schemes are remote (or no local assessment team is available), a thorough desk assessment of these projects by members of our National Judging Panel will be conducted in leiu of the assessment visit. For International Civic Trust Awards entries, the applicant must also submit two citations from locally accredited community or local authority organisations outlining their support of the project. Clear drawings and photographs showing the context and before and after images are also essential.

When do we hear if we’ve been short listed?

If projects have been considered successful at the first stage assessment, they are considered to be “Regional Finalists” and will be notified in November if they have been put forward to the second tier assessment. The National Judging Panel then review all “Regional Finalists” to determine the final list of National (& International) Winners. Applicants will then be notified a second time in January 2024 whether they have been successful Nationally/Internationally, with the level of awards revealed at the Awards Ceremony.

When and where is the Award Ceremony?

The 2024 Awards Ceremony will take place in March 2024 - date and venue tbc. This is a black tie event, with drinks reception, dinner and the presentation of Awards, Highly Commended and Special Award winners revealed.

Tickets will be available to purchase by all winning organisations on a first come first served basis. The event is always a sell-out, so we recommend purchasing tickets as soon as you are notified that you are a winner.