Heritage Awards 2021
The Gibraltar Heritage Trust has announced the recipients of this year’s Heritage Awards.
A statement from the Gibraltar Heritage Trust follows below:
The Gibraltar Heritage Trust is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Heritage Awards. It should be acknowledged that standards of projects nominated are rising year on year making it harder to select the top awards each year. This bodes well for the future of quality heritage restoration and promotion projects in Gibraltar.
This year 5 properties will receive a Group Award, 2 properties will receive individual Awards and a further 3 Heritage Commendations are awarded. The awards were presented by the Hon. Prof John Cortes, Minister for Heritage, alongside Dr. Keith Farrell, Chairman of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust at a presentation event at the Main Guard.
An Individual Heritage Award is awarded to 1North Pavillion Steps for its sensitive restoration and extention. One of a row of mid-19th Century properties, it has been lovingly restored and extended sensitively whilst enhancing and respecting original fixtures and fittings. From the the tiled floor in the entrance hall, to the fireplaces, moulded ceilings and fireplaces, coal chute, bannisters and door handles, it has all been respected whilst also extending the property to cater for modern day family life. The award was received by owners Mr Charles and Mrs Andrea Simpson.
Another Individual Heritage Award is awarded to Villa Bernadette for its careful recent restoration and refurbishment that keeps and enhances the character of this building. Built in 1892 and kept as the family home for 4 generations, the building has undergone a number of alterations and refurbishments thoughout its history, however the family ethos has been to maintain the heritage features and character. Its latest rennovations have seen the window sympathetically upgraded, restoration of the stone and ironwork and many other internal features retained. The award was recieved by Mrs Gina Hill on behalf of the family.
A Group Heritage Award is awarded to Carrick House, 6 St. Cristophers Alley for restoration and sensitive extension of this late 19th Century ex-Officer’s Quarter into a family home. The project has been achieved in a way that respects and promotes the original features of the property whilst providing extra space in a discrete way. The award was received by Mr Alfie Bassadone.
A Group Heritage Award is awarded to The Queen’s Picture House which continues and celebrates the legacy and nostalgia of the Queen’s Cinema and the movie-going public. The business has sensitively converted a vault at Casemates Barracks into a fine dining establishment with the added element of a cinema room for movie viewings and private hire. The award was received by representatives of the Benatar-Valderde family.
A Group Heritage Award is awarded to La Gendarmerie for the conversion and extension of the Victorian era Police Station into office space, encompassing public access and amenity on the ground floor in terms of an exhibition space. The project has retained the custody cells for future interpretation as well as other original features of the building. The bold top floor extension has been achieved in a modern style which integrates well with the original building and makes a statement about the Gibraltar of the past and future. The external façade of this building was also in a very delapidated state and has been painstakingly restored to its former glory. The award was received by resprentatives of La Gendarmerie.
A Group Heritage Award is awarded to Bassadone Automotive World, 78 Queensway the site of Dockyard warehouses now converted for use by the The Bassadone Automotive Group. This set of stone warehouses has been restored and the requirements of the BAG operation designed around the building’s features and industrial installations. Features include, a gangtry crane that has been retained and converted in to a bridges, the refurbishment and adaptation of cranes for continued use, fittings such as vintage lampshades reused, restoration and clever reuse of the wooden cobbles that made up areas of flooring, as well as interventions to keep original staircases in situ and in use. From the outset the project had the heritage value of the buildings as one of the central considerations to the design. The award was received by representatives of the Bassadone Automotive Group.
A Group Heritage Award is awarded to XAPO Bank, 1-2 Casemates Vaults for the conversion of these vaults and the area behind them into the international headquarters for their business. The site of the ex- Gibraltar Crystal factory is unrecognisable in that the vaults have been totally reformed into the banking meeting rooms and facilities whilst restoring and retaining the heritage value of the site. In the process new discoveries were made of elements surviving from the medieval period and even the discovery of an extra room. The finished product sets the bar very high for furture conversions and adpations of the Barracks and the space behind it. The award was received by Mr. Albert Rocca, CEO
A Heritage Commendation is awarded to Legacy Productions for the documentary ‘Times of Closure’ which explores and documents the impact of the frontier closure. The work is an important contribution to the social and political history of Gibraltar. The award was received by Producer and Director Mr. Stephen Cumming.
A Heritage Commendation is awared to Trends Superstore for the recovery and redevelopment of this set of Main Street buildings in a way that addressed significant structural elements whilst also retaining the majority of the original structures and their integrity. The award was received by the Nihchalani family.
A Heritage Commendation is awarded to Kastaluna Communications and Dr. Darren Fa for the TV Series ‘Fortress of Fortresses’ and ‘A Place in Time’. Both documentaries look at Gibraltar’s evolution as a Fortress City and the changes that time has effected on it. ‘Fortress of Fortresses’ ran to two series and explored Gibraltars defenses and artillery pieces in depth, whereas in ‘A Place in Time’ Dr Fa and Keith Madeira looked into features that have disappeared using GIS technology to locate and explore their stories further. Both series were commissioned and aired by GBC and have served to raise awareness about this element of our heritage. The award was received by representatives of Kastaluna, Dr. Darren Fa and Mr Keith Madeira.
There was no Chairman’s Award given this year.
Notes:
The Aim of the Awards:
The Heritage Awards have been presented annually by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust since 1993. The awards will be made for outstanding sensitivity or contribution to Gibraltar’s heritage. They may be made to an individual (including juniors under the age of 16), group, team, club, firm or company for a positive contribution, of any kind, that has enhanced Gibraltar’s heritage, or for exceptional, successful efforts in preserving a part of Gibraltar’s heritage. The object of the awards is to recognize heritage conservation projects and developments and encourage the involvement of the community in achieving high standards of restoration of buildings, structures and monuments in Gibraltar, thus promoting public recognition and awareness of Gibraltar’s heritage and history.
The awards aim to promote careful design and quality of workmanship in restoration, modernization, adaptation and maintenance, taking proper account of all relevant factors, particularly manpower and funding.
There are four categories of Award:
- Junior Heritage Award: Awarded to projects carried out by a school, youth group or individual under the age of 16.
- Group Heritage Award: Awarded to companies, groups or developers.
- Individual Heritage Award: Awarded to projects undertaken by private individuals
- Heritage Commendation: Awarded at the discretion of the Board of the Heritage Trust to individuals, groups or companies felt to have contributed to the positive promotion of heritage issues.
