Award for Armagh Mall restoration

The award-winning restored Mall in Armagh city centre

A project to restore the Mall in Armagh city centre has won an award for design excellence in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Public Realm Special Award was granted during the Civic Trust National Awards gala ceremony in Brighton on Thursday.

Created in 1773, the park gradually fell into disrepair in the 1990s.

The restoration, carried out by Belfast-based Alastair Coey Architects, has retained much of the character of the original landscape.

The perimeter footpath was resurfaced, disabled access was improved, park furniture was updated with modern designs and buried up-lighters were installed to illuminate the trees after dark.

Roisin McDonough, chief executive of award sponsors Arts Council, praised the "sensitive and well considered approach to the delightful open green space of the Mall in Armagh".

'Sensitive regeneration'

Presenting the award, she said the project had "at its heart the sensitive regeneration of the public space of one of Northern Ireland's most beautiful and architecturally striking towns".

Ms McDonough congratulated Armagh Council, which plans to organise at least six major events annually at the Mall.

The Mall is at the centre of some of Armagh's most attractive features.

Surrounded by elegant Georgian terraces and gothic revival buildings, and situated near the city's observatory, it was created in the 18th century by the Church of Ireland.

Inaugurated in 1959, the Civic Trust Awards are intended to honour achievements in architecture, planning, environmental design, landscape, public art and urban design.

The Civic Trust is a national charity pledged to improve the built environment of the UK.