The first is the Public Building category at the 2025 Brick Awards. Now in its 49th year, the Brick Awards – hosted by the Brick Development Association – recognise the outstanding use of clay brick in architecture and design.
The BEAM project extended and reimagined the former Hertford Theatre to deliver a vibrant, multi-purpose cultural hub featuring:
- A 547-seat main theatre, three cinema screens, a studio theatre, and community rooms
- A welcoming all-day café/bar
- A striking covered triangular courtyard that serves as the main foyer
- A carefully composed arrangement of brick-clad buildings, scaled and angled to respect Hertford’s historic setting
Other high-profile projects shortlisted include London’s Silvertown Tunnel and Randall Pattern Play, and Tileyard North in West Yorkshire. Winners will be announced at a London ceremony on 5 November 2025.
BEAM is also in the running for the Institution of Structural Engineers Awards 2025, an international award programme that assesses projects against four key principles: planet, people, process and profession.
Judges praised BEAM as: “A thoughtful reuse-first transformation that breathes new life into a dated theatre while reducing environmental impact. The result is a revitalised civic asset that balances buildability, acoustic performance, and environmental responsibility.”
Other shortlisted projects include Everton Stadium, the Shanghai Greenhouse Project and Central Station Metro in Sydney, Australia.
BEAM was designed by Bennetts Associates with structural engineering by Integral Engineering Design.
Councillor Sarah Hopewell, Executive Member for Wellbeing at East Herts Council, said: “To be shortlisted alongside such exceptional projects is a real testament to the outstanding design and dedication of the entire project team in bringing BEAM to life. Whatever the outcome, being recognised in such distinguished company is already a tremendous achievement.”
