Clear Architects has been highly commended for the East of England RICS Awards.

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) accredits 118,000 professionals and registered firms. They are subject to a high level of quality assurance.

The Haven House project was highly commended for RICS Awards category of Community Benefit. Haven House Children’s Hospice supports families and cares for children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across North and East London, West Essex and East Hertfordshire.

Melanie Clear, founder of Clear Architects and practice architect said:

“We are delighted to have been Highly Commended in the Community Benefit category for the RICS East of England Awards 2015 for our wonderful project, the Haven House Holistic Care Centre.

Charities operate under a range of pressures – not least financial. This project was further complicated by design and build challenges, including its annexe to a locally listed building, on a plot that also featured an Arboretum (collection of protected trees) and which spanned three different councils and corporations: Redbridge, Waltham Forest and the City of London.

Having overcome these challenges and knowing the impact this new, dynamic space has on the lives of the families, children and staff who use the Holistic Care Centre, makes an award recognition in the RICS Community Benefit category all the more special and rewarding.

We wish to thank all those involved in this unique project and we look forward to many more successful awards nights in the future as we celebrate our 10th anniversary year as an architecture practice – this commendation from RICS has been a fantastic start. Thank you to everyone who made it happen!”