Building for Life Silver Standard winners are:

This year's winning schemes are broad ranging in terms of both location and design. Building for Life has recognised a range of architectural styles from the ultra-modern aesthetic of Silver Standard winners Fulham Island and Gold Standard winners Gainsborough Studios in London, to schemes designed to fit with the local vernacular architecture such as Silver Award winners Water's Edge in Devon and Gold winner's Queen Elizabeth Park near Guildford.

Wayne Hemingway, chairman of Building for Life comments: “Building for Life is not about subscribing to any one particular form of architecture. It's about looking at design of homes that best suits the environment and the design of the spaces surrounding the homes. Each of these schemes is designed to be lived in and to support the feeling of a real community.”

“They show that mixed use from private to social housing, commercial space to live/work units can work well together and can really benefit the local area. Whilst schemes of this quality are rare in a sea of tarmac and mediocrity there are encouraging signs that house builders and planners are starting to give housing the kind of care and attention that the public deserve. One day we may get a scheme that we can give a platinum award to.”

Launched in 2003, The Building for Life Standard is backed by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), the House Builders Federation and the Civic Trust.

Each of the partners support the view that the days of designing schemes according to dimensions of a plot of land on paper rather than the nature of the land itself are gone. “We believe one of the keys to effective and successful design is that it is driven by the surrounding landscape rather than forcing itself upon a mismatched environment,” comments Alex Ely of CABE.

Queen Elizabeth Park near Guildford and Water's Edge in Shaldon are two good examples of this way of thinking. Water's Edge plays with the traditional architectural features of the small fishing village of Shaldon to create a scheme that within a few short years will look like it has always been an intrinsic part of the local neighbourhood.

Queen Elizabeth Park has used natural features of the site such as established trees and woodland areas to create a scheme that builds on its natural assets and creates a sense of a garden village.

John Slaughter of the House Builders Federation said: “These schemes show the industry can deliver exciting developments and valuable community benefit. The number of schemes seeking Building for Life recognition is very encouraging and we will continue to promote a commitment to good and balanced design.