John Rylands Library

£17m transformation of grade I listed Neo-Gothic building For theThe University of Manchester Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Union's Regional Development Fund

RIBA award 2008

'Best Iconic Building' in the 2007 Manchester Awards and Manchester Chamber of Commerce 'Building of the Year 2007'.

It also won two gold medals in the Roses Design Awards and a gold award from the Institute of Structural Engineers.

It is a major visitor attraction, an internationally-renowned place for research and one of the most important rare book and manuscript libraries in the world.

The five-storey extension transforms the whole feel and approachability of the Rylands. The extension created an unmistakeable and modern new entrance, complete with a genuinely awe-inspiring atrium, a reception, a café and a shop, plus wheelchair and buggy access, new toilets, and state-of-the-art storage facilities that improve security and open up the rest of this beautiful building for public appreciation.

Keith Andrews at Austen-Smith:Lord