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North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford. Photo: Colin Willoughby

Cultural buildings were well represented among the 16 winners of the annual RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) awards. As well as making awards to three dedicated arts spaces – the Royal Festival Hall, Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre and the Pier Arts Centre in Orkney – the judges recognised two new arts facilities based at schools

St Marylebone Church of England School, an inner city voluntary-aided secondary school with 900 students specialising in the Performing Arts, previously had no dedicated facilities but now includes five storeys of dance studios and departments for music and art, designed by Gumuchdjian Architects. North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford (pictured), converted from a former Victorian swimming pool by architects Haworth Tompkins, is built in the grounds of St Edward’s School, an independent, co-educational boarding school, and will be shared with the town. It houses a flexible 300-seat theatre, a rehearsal space, dance studio and art gallery.