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Building Design

Building Design Awards

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Building Design Awards news

Celebrating good design in the National Park

The Building Design Awards 2027 are now open for entries!

New Forest National Park Building Design Awards recognise schemes completed over the last three years that enhance or protect the built environment of the National Park in the following categories:
  • Best residential scheme (household extensions, new dwellings, conversions to residential)
  • Non-residential scheme (employment or educational sites, community buildings, visitor attractions, outbuildings not in residential use)
  • Best conservation project (extensions to a Listed Building, restoration of a Listed Building, repair of a Building at Risk)
  • Best green building (showcasing sustainable construction and materials, or retrofit projects)

The winners are chosen by a panel of members drawn from the National Park Authority’s Planning Committee.

From traditional thatched cottages to eco homes, and historic houses to beach huts, the New Forest National Park is renowned for the character of its buildings.

Our Building Design Awards recognise high quality design and the best new developments in the National Park, with residential schemes, non-residential schemes, conservation projects and green buildings all eligible for an award.

Alongside the updated National Park Design Guide (January 2022) and the national planning policy support for development that enhances local areas, the awards celebrate good design in the National Park.

Please nominate using the form on the right of this page. Nominations close midnight on 31 December 2026.

See below for previous winners.

New Forest NPA Building Design Awards 2027 nomination form

Which award are you making a nomination for?(Required)
Please upload photos of your nominated building
Max. file size: 128 MB.
Max. file size: 128 MB.
Max. file size: 128 MB.
Max. file size: 128 MB.
HOW WE WILL USE YOUR INFORMATION We will use your personal data for administering the New Forest Building Design Awards 2027. The lawful basis for our use of this information under the GDPR is Article 6(1)(f) where processing is necessary for the legitimate interests pursued by the controller, in this case the NPA’s legitimate interest in administering the competition in a fair and proper manner. Your information will be held securely and will not be used for any other purposes, nor will it be supplied to anyone outside the NPA without first obtaining your consent, unless we are obliged or permitted by law to disclose it. We will retain your personal information for a period of three months after the closing date of the competition, after which time it will be deleted from our systems, with the exception of the winning entries. Where you are nominating a person other than yourself, it will be your (the nominator’s) responsibility to obtain permission from the nominee to nominate them before submitting their nomination. If you, or the person you nominate, are a finalist, the personal data may be processed in the context of Awards related PR and press opportunities (pre and post event). These will include photography, media interviews, use of your case study / story in any PR, video, social media, TV and press. Owners have the option to remain anonymous in post event publicity. If you choose to do so, please let us know. If you wish to withdraw from the process at any time, please let us know by contacting building.conservation@newforestnpa.gov.uk. We will then delete all of the personal data we are processing on you for the purposes of the Awards. More details on how we hold personal information can be found at: https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/privacy-and-cookies/ Should you require further information about how your details will be used or stored and/or would like to access any information we hold about you, please contact our Information & Data Protection Officer on dpo@newforestnpa.gov.uk.
Thank you. Please click submit to make your nomination

New Forest National Park Building Design Awards logo with a tree and two grazing ponies above the text

2025 winners

2024 winners

The exterior of a house with lights on, at dusk.
Best Residential Scheme: Chestnut Plantation at Tatchbury Mount. The scheme replaced a 1950s bungalow with a sustainable and modern, open-plan new home. The property was designed by Lymington-based John Pardey Architects. Pic by Brotherton-Lock Photography
The Clay Retreat by PAD Studio. Copyright Jim Stephenson 2021
Best Green Building: The Clay Retreat at Norleywood. The single storey home has a pre-fabricated timber frame construction filled with blown paper insulation. The building has particularly high energy efficiency standards which go above and beyond current building regulations. Designed by architects PAD Studio in Lymington. Photo by Jim Stephenson.
round small building at night, lit up with string lights
Best Non-Residential Building: The Living Room at spudWORKS in Sway. Now a space for dementia care community use, it’s built on the base of a Victorian water tower. The design, by Delve Architects in London, has energy-efficient insulation, low energy lighting and makes the best use of natural daylight. It also celebrates and preserves a heritage feature in the landscape. Photo by Paul Close Photography.
Blurred person ascending stairs with rope balustrade in a minimalist interior, with a wooden chair and cushions in foreground
Highly Commended - Best Residential Scheme: The Clay Retreat at Norleywood. Judges praised the clever shading on the large windows to reduce light pollution and help protect wildlife. Architects: PAD Studio. Photo: Jim Stephenson.
Chestnut Plantation Designer John Pardey Architects, Pic Brotherton-Lock Photography 16.9
Highly Commended - Best Green Building: Chestnut Plantation. The judges praised its solar panels, air source heat pump and woodland management plan for the surrounding land to improve biodiversity. Architects: John Pardey. Pic: Brotherton-Lock Photography
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2023 winners

Dark-clad modern house in a woodland setting
Best Green Building: Little Hill in Hyde. The residential scheme, designed by owner and architect David Hayhurst, replaced a run-down post-war bungalow with a highly energy-efficient home. Photo: David Hayhurst
A restored Georgian-style home
Best Conservation Scheme: Wood End House near Lymington. This Grade II Listed building which had fallen into disrepair and had been unsympathetically altered in the past. Using a historic photo of the home as a guide, Ringwood-based Sheerin Bettle Architecture reintroduced a number of features including sash windows, original chimney designs, and heritage cast iron works. Photo: Sheerin Bettle Architecture.
Unit 1 Forest Corner Farm c LST Projects Ltd
Best non-residential Building: Unit One, Forest Corner Farm near Ringwood. Local architects Sheerin Bettle designed the new reception, consulting area and surgery for an existing veterinary hospital; replacing a large dominating corrugated tin-clad grain store and mill building.
Modern black timber and brick building with pitched roof and large windows, viewed from street in Lyndhurst
Highly Commended - Best Green Building: Pannage Green in Lyndhurst. David Lovegrove Architecture took a holistic design approach to the new-build property to include a rainwater harvester, heat vent recovery system, triple-glazed windows, wildlife boxes and a pond. Pic by Geoff Rolls
Minstead Trust toilet block building with blue double doors and slate roof, beside a covered walkway and outdoor seating area
Highly Commended - Best non-residential building: An outbuilding within the grounds of the Grade II Listed Minstead Lodge. Winchester-based TKLS Architects designed a new toilet block and wet room in place of an existing small lean-to toilet and pottery kiln.
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2022 winners

An older style cottage with a wooden outbuilding in front of woodland
Best Green Project winner: Cameron’s Cottage at RSPB Franchises Lodge in Landford. The once-derelict estate cottage has been sympathetically refurbished and extended for use as a residential retreat for young people. The design, by Moorhouse Architecture, incorporates an impressive outdoor classroom, locally-sourced timber, solar panels, sustainable heating, and numerous homes for wildlife including bats and birds. Pic: Moorhouse Architecture
A traditional house with modern veranda in the sunshine
Best Residential Scheme: Tuckermill House in Boldre. An impressive modern extension which maximises light and views in a 1930s house. The scheme, by Forest Architecture, allows the Arts and Crafts character of the original home to be seen, while complementing it with a modern timber-clad extension. Pic: Richard Chivers Architectural Photography
Renovated agricultural buildings at sunset
Best Non-Residential Scheme: The Old Dairy in Sway. The former agricultural buildings at Cook’s Farm were repaired and converted into office space by Hordle-based Tuakana Construction. The scheme keeps most of the historic fabric of the existing buildings and recycles original materials. Hazelwood fencing, sustainable drainage and bat boxes also impressed the judges. Pic: Tuakana Construction
Beaulieu Ice House after restoration web
Best Conservation Project: Ice House at Beaulieu Palace. A structure dating back to 1870 which had fallen into disrepair. Conservation works by Andrew Waring Associates involved stabilising the Ice House (which was also used as an apple store in the second world war), reforming the arch between the entrance and the dome, and adding a door and interpretation boards.
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2020 winners

Peppa Pig World building by HPW Architecture Ltd
Best Green Building Award winner is a 10,000 sq. ft building at Peppa Pig World in Paulton’s Park. The building, which features a wildflower roof, windcatchers and sustainable drainage system was designed by Totton-based HPW Architecture
Renovated older building on a sunny day
The Best Residential Scheme was awarded to architects Ben Pentreath Ltd and their client for the property Little Marsh Lodge in Beaulieu. The panel commended the proportions of the dwelling and the architects’ attention to detail.
Stone gatehouse with arched entrance and clock tower at Beaulieu, beside a long wooden building and trees
The Best Non-Residential Scheme winner was awarded to the new gallery space created next to the listed Clock House on the Beaulieu Estate and was designed by Hampshire-based Plum Architects. The panel commended the design of the scheme, saying it fits well in a sensitive location and enhances the area, while providing a light internal space for the gallery.
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