Time to have your say on St Albans’ inspirational building designs

What do you think think about the buildings you live in, work from or enjoy walking past as you’re out and about in the city of St Albans?

The bi-annual St Albans Civic Society Awards, taking place later this year at the Abbey Theatre, celebrate the creativity and skills that contribute to our thriving historical city, highlighting the mix of craft-led restoration projects and inventive new designs that together enhance the historical character of St Albans.

This year the Civic Society is teaming up with the St Albans Times to launch the first-ever People’s Choice Award, running in addition to the existing awards decided by the Society’s judging panel.

Judges will assess the nominees against the criteria for each award category, with the People’s Choice chosen by our readers.

The shortlisted entries for the first People’s Choice Award are:

• The Hedges Social Housing Project, Woollam Crescent – a St Albans City and District Council social housing project in the High Oaks area that delivered 12 sustainable homes in spring 2025;
  
• Ibēros, George Street – the previously empty premises on an iconic St Albans street underwent a major renovation before opening as tapas restaurant Ibēros on November 25, 2025;
  
• Moka, Ryder Seed Hall, Holywell Hill – the former Samuel Ryder Exhibition Hall saw a major refurbishment and restoration to reopen as the contemporary Indian restaurant Moka Dining in December 2025;
  
• Verulam Point, Station Way – this office building witnessed a comprehensive, high-quality refurbishment to transform a four-floor headquarters building into a contemporary workspace, boasting strong sustainability credentials;
  
• Jubilee Square, Victoria Street – a multi-million mixed-use regeneration project built by Morgan Sindall Construction on the site of the old police station;
  
• Queen’s House, 58 Victoria Street – a comprehensively refurbished building transformed from a former hat factory into a design-led co-working and office space;
  
• Old Electricity Works, Campfield Road – this architectural refurbishment and adaptive reuse project transformed a locally listed, early 20th century industrial asset into a high-density mixed-use development;
  
• Flats 1-5, 42 Verulam Road – an imaginative refurbishment that added a new roof and entryway to this mixed-use property featuring five residential flats alongside the Rug Maker showroom.

St Albans Times editor Matt Adams said: “Maintaining a balance between restoring the city’s old buildings and preserving its rich heritage is obviously tricky, but when done successfully, it really does result in some exceptional developments.

“The shortlisted entries have either transformed tired old buildings into something spectacular, or have been designed sympathetically to their local environment. We look forward to finding out which one our readers select as the first recipient of the Civic Society’s People’s Choice award.”

You can vote for your favourite design by clicking here.

You can find out more about the Civic Society Awards and the work of St Albans Civic Society here.

The winner will be announced at the awards presentation at the Abbey Theatre on October 13.

The Civic Society judging panel will have its say – now it’s time for the people of St Albans to have theirs.