Ronnie Douglas, a conservation bricklayer, was one of two winners of our inaugural award. He is a keen learner with a growing knowledge of mortars and is innovative adaptive in his use of tools to achieve the desired finish. He has carried out complex brick repairs and new work at Kensington Palace Orangery and at Hampton Court Palace. His talent extends beyond site to the workshop where he is adept in rubbing and cutting, demonstrating both precision and speed with the sense and sensitivity needed for high level historic brickwork.
Building Craftsperson of the Year Award
The Building Craftsperson Award, sponsored by Owlsworth IJP, recognises the best up-and-coming craftspeople working with traditional materials and old buildings.
Do you know an early-career craftsperson working with traditional skills, buildings and materials? Nominating them could be a game-changer for their career.
Submit your entries or nominations by Wednesday 14 August 2024. You can find out more below, or get inspired by our previous shortlist and winners.
Any questions? Email awards@spab.org.uk.
What are we looking for?
- Early-career craftspeople and builders who are new to their trades (formally engaged with their trade for a maximum of five years in 2024)
- Craftspeople working with historic buildings and traditional materials
- Craftspeople working with traditional forms of construction or in a related craft
- Traditional forms of construction include bricklayers, stonemasons, roofers, carpenters, joiners, framers, plasterers, earth builders, glaziers or conservation builders
- Related crafts include blacksmithing, signwriting, gilding, bell founding, bell hanging, clock making, leadworking or wallpaper printing
- Craftspeople must be practicing in the UK and/or Republic of Ireland (including Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
How to enter
Please enter via the online form. We need to know:
- Your name
- The name of the craftsperson you are nominating
- How they meet the criteria above
- Why you think this craftsperson deserves this Award
You need to include:
- A minimum of three and a maximum of six high-resolution images (JPGs or PNGs) that show the craftsperson and their craft (300dpi minimum)
- Image credits and description saved in the file names, e.g. ‘Philip Webb doing lime plastering © William Morris’
- You must have the photographer’s permission to submit these images
All Awards are free to enter. Shortlisted entries will be required to purchase at least one in-person ticket to the Awards Ceremony (£59 Members, £69 Non-Members).
We can only consider entries that meet the criteria above.
Any questions? Email awards@spab.org.uk.
Many thanks to Owlsworth IJP for sponsoring this Award.
Header image: Rachel Stoplar
Past Winners
2022 winner: Under 30s category
2022 winner: Career changer category
Now a cabinet maker, Wilma had an earlier career in the prison service. Skilled in the use of traditional craft tools and methods and with a deep understanding of hardwood, Wilma takes a careful and considered approach to joinery. Her projects include a 4.5m diameter curved bench seat combining a range of traditional woodworking techniques, a music room in ebonised oak and horsehair and an elliptical ivory dressing room. Wilma also voluntarily leads the Artichoke School of Furniture in Cheddar, which works to teach woodworking techniques to school-age children.
