Malmesbury House in Wiltshire, created by Somerset and London based Prewett Bizley Architects, has picked up a coveted design award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) winning an RIBA South West Award 2021.

Located in the Malmesbury Conservation area, the grade II listed three-storey house has been reorganised, extended and refurbished to create a comfortable family home.

With origins in the 1670’s, the building was gentrified into a Georgian townhouse around 1800, later subdivided into three dwellings and then re-amalgamated into a family home.

South West jury chair Robert Sakula said the house was chosen for the award due to its "deep understanding" of the wider area.

He said: "The subject of this project is an unusual and quirky historic house, intimately embedded in the fabric of this lovely small town. The architects were asked to make it work better as a family home, to connect to its garden, and to significantly enhance its energy and carbon performance. They have succeeded.

"The architects began by acquiring a deep understanding of how the existing house works and how people move around it.

"Materials are delicious and, in the context, both surprising and immensely sophisticated: in situ concrete, brown zinc, plywood, brass, exposed joists and studs. Every surface, every junction – and there are many – is a delight, the architects fully in command of their craft."

RIBA South West Award 2021 winners will now be considered for a highly-coveted RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, which will be announced on Thursday September 9.

The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.

Mr Sakula added: "The entries we saw this year ranged in size from tiny houses to large public buildings, and encompassed everything from a transport interchange to a bridge.

"Noticeable was a large number of projects reusing existing buildings, and an ever growing-commitment to sustainability, not now just in the energy and carbon costs of occupying a building, but a growing emphasis on reducing energy and carbon in the procuring of buildings too.

"As a response to global warming and resource depletion this is commendable.

"Also apparent is a concern for context: fewer ‘object buildings’, more instances of close attention played to context and history, and of buildings playing their part in the ongoing evolution of their wider neighbourhood."

RIBA South West regional director Jon Watkins said: "RIBA Awards demonstrate the value of excellent architecture delivered by architects from our region, the UK and Europe across our vast region; and this year’s awards offers quality, diversity of type and scale, innovation in design, and lots of delight. Congratulations to all our winners."