HR Wallingford's new headquarters building, Kestrel House, has won an award which recognises innovation and defines excellence in office spaces.

One year after occupation, Kestrel House won the British Council for Office’s Corporate Workplace award in the South West regional finals.

This award is open to either a new building commissioned by owner-occupiers or buildings where there has been a substantial collaboration by the occupier with a developer. There were 122 entries in the south west region and these were judged both on the merits of its base build and fit-out.

Chief Executive Officer of HR Wallingford Group, John Ormston received the award at the AT-Bristol centre on Thursday (19 May) evening.

The award was presented by Eve Pollard, former Fleet Street editor, at the ceremony which was attended by over 250 guests.

“We commissioned Kestrel House as our headquarters in Oxfordshire as part of a master plan to develop a high technology and environmentally focused business park in Wallingford,” said John Ormston.

“Our previous accommodation was spread across a number of older buildings on the site. Kestrel House offered us the opportunity to move into a purpose built contemporary, open plan, single office facility large enough to accommodate all our staff and provide us with enough space to grow.”

Kestrel House achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating. It combines new and innovative ideas, including our bore hole for cooling, chilled beams, landscaped drainage swales, integral drainage storage within car-park surfacing, innovative IT offering and secure back-up systems.”

The national finals will be held in October 2011.