This year's Stirling Prize, the highest honor awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects, has gone to Witherford Watson Mann architects for their deft renovation of historic Astley Castle, which was destroyed by fire in 1978.
"Architecture awards are not often given to structures where the roof has caved in and walls have crumbled, but nor are many ruins treated with the care and attention lavished by Witherford Watson Mann architects, whose striking £2.5m intervention has seen the building converted into a beguiling holiday home for the Landmark Trust," writes Oliver Wainwright.
"Stitching a series of brick and timber walls into the ravaged shell, the architects have deftly intertwined a forcefully modern approach with a strong sense of the original ruin, crafting a layered sequence of spaces that celebrate the building's 800 years of history."
Perhaps the best part: The castle is available for rent for as little as £21 a night per person for the cheapest weekends.
FULL STORY: Astley Castle restoration project wins Stirling prize
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