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The Bristol Beacon has been named regional building of the year at the 2026 RIBA South West and Wessex Awards.
The £183m restoration project, which transformed the concert hall into a venue to rival other national facilities for amplified and unamplified music, was praised by the jury as a “remarkable civic achievement and a testament to the dedication of a committed client, an exceptional team of architects and engineers, and a city that chose to invest in its cultural future by the reinvention of its past”.
The award was announced during a ceremony at Bath Spa University’s Locksbrook Campus.
David Yorke, associate architect at Alec French Architects, said: “We are proud that the Bristol Beacon has received yet another prestigious award. The judges have recognised the dedication and skill of everyone involved in the design and construction of this world-class venue.”
Alec French Architects supported main contractor Willmott Dixon on the restoration project, which was designed by London-based architects Levitt Bernstein.
Run by the Bristol Music Trust and supported by Bristol City Council, the building now functions as what RIBA described as a powerful ecosystem for music and creative development across the region.
New education studios, rehearsal spaces and the Western Stage for emerging artists support grassroots performance and music education for tens of thousands of young people.
Multiple venues operate simultaneously within the building, allowing the city to host a rich programme of concerts, performances and public events.
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