A Southend firm of architects has walked away with a coveted design award for an innovative car showroom.

The Veritas Audi showroom, designed by Moss, Prime and Coombes, incorporates state-of-the-art environmental and energy-saving features and was built to challenging specifications.

Judges of the 1998 Annual Design Awards - run by Southend Council - were so impressed with the Comet Way building they awarded it first prize.

Partner in the firm, Harold Prime, said the project was a challenge.

He said: "It is always nice to be recommended by your peers and at the same time it was nice for a local firm to win the award rather than have an outside firm take it. It proves local homegrown talent can still make it."

Mr Prime said the design was a first for Audi because the German car giant normally stuck to a rigid template when it came to the design of its showrooms.

He added: "It was a challenge because the site was rather small to accommodate the requirements of the brief, such as a workshop and other facilities. To find an answer was not at first site an easy one."

The Veritas Audi showroom is unusual for a glass building, because it doesn't use air conditioning.

Instead canopies extend from the roof in summer to shield the occupants and it has been designed to allow a natural flow of air to go through the building.

Mr Prime said it was the energy-saving eco-friendliness of the building that had impressed the Southend Council judges.

In the awards, the Kursaal on Eastern Esplanade was commended for conservation, and SMAC's Mercedes showroom on the A127 received a commendation under the New Build category.

State-of-the-art - Bob Kempton, director of the showroom, and Harry Prime, architect proudly display their coveted design award

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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