Penzance’s Gardeners’ House wins top Cornish Buildings award

It took nine years and a committed group of people to bring a former gardeners’ house in Morrab Gardens back to life. Last week the finished building picked up one of Cornwall’s most respected design prizes.

The Gardeners’ House in Penzance won Best Recently Completed or Renovated Building at this year’s Cornish Buildings Group (CBG) Awards, held at the Buttermarket in Redruth.

A former gardeners’ house brought back to life

The Gardeners’ House, a charity based in Penzance, transformed the old gardeners’ house in Morrab Gardens and reopened it in June 2025. The restoration was funded by £2.2 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and an £896,000 grant from the Penzance Town Deal fund.

The building now houses a community archive of documents, books, illustrations and objects that reflect the landscape and history of West Cornwall, alongside spaces for community use. Since opening it has become a place for people to gather, learn new skills, meet others and build connections, with workshops, support groups and volunteering on offer. You can read more about the charity on the Gardeners’ House website.

📷A zine, An Introduction to Foraged Ink, made at a Gardeners' House workshop - Credit: The Gardeners’ House

What the CBG award recognises

The Cornish Buildings Group Awards have run every year since 1981. They recognise outstanding building and landscape projects across Cornwall, judged on design quality, sustainability, Cornish distinctiveness and, in the case of restoration work, sensitivity to a building’s original design and fabric.

This year’s ceremony recognised three winning projects and eight commended entries from across the county. The other two awards in the Gardeners’ House category went to The Creation Works and the co-working space and studios Pixel Penzance.

📷Two children hold up prints they made at a Gardeners' House workshop - Credit: The Gardeners’ House

‘A labour of love’

Doreen Pinfold, chair of the Board of Trustees at the Gardeners’ House, said: “We’re delighted that the Gardeners’ House has been recognised in this way. This award reflects the care and thought that went into bringing the building back to life, and what it now means to the people who use it.”

Miki Ashton, director of the Gardeners’ House, said: “This recognition belongs to everyone who worked on the project and to the community who have made the Gardeners’ House part of Penzance again. To bring this building back to life was a labour of love that took a really committed group of people over nine years, and we are so pleased to see this level of recognition for our space.”

Neil Wall, the architect responsible for the building’s design through his firm Studio West, said: “It’s been a privilege to work on a building with such history and significance to Penzance. This award is a reflection of the collaborative effort between the whole design and construction team. I have been a part of this journey since the beginning, and I am proud to see the building project receive this prestigious award.”

📷A child holds a wooden bat box painted with the words Welcome Bats - Credit: The Gardeners’ House

The team behind the project

The project was delivered with architect Neil Wall of Studio West, builders Martin and Steve Jewell of Jewell Construction and structural engineers Richard Gowan and Matt Taylor. Stephen Hird was the building services engineer and Trevor Humphreys was the project manager. They were joined on the night by Miki Ashton, Kate Picknett and Doreen Pinfold from the Gardeners’ House team.

📷A foraged autumn wreath of eucalyptus, apples, pears and chillies around a bowl of fruit - Credit: The Gardeners’ House

A community space and a sensory garden

The Gardeners’ House works in partnership with local community groups and organisations, including Sustainable Penzance, Hypatia Trust and Pengarth Day Centre, as well as local schools and colleges.

Adjoining the building is the Sensory Garden, funded by the Tanner Phoenix Trust, which sits between the Gardeners’ House and Pengarth Day Centre. It is a tranquil, safe space where people can reconnect with nature, there to enhance the lives of older people and particularly those living with dementia.

The archive at the heart of the building is not finished either. It will keep growing, taking in items that reflect the thoughts, feelings and experiences of people in the community today.

📷A child in front of a bright tissue-paper window artwork made at the Gardeners' House - Credit: The Gardeners’ House

📷Illustration of the Gardeners' House in Morrab Gardens, Penzance, with people and a tree - Credit: The Gardeners’ House