By Lesley Walsh
A FORMER Bangor hotel, which has found new life almost a century after it was built, has scooped a top architectural award.
The Savoy social housing development in Bangor city centre, once an Art Deco-style hotel built in the 1930s, was repurposed last year into 26 two- bedroom apartments for the over 55s, and has clinched the top social housing prize in the Royal Society of Ulster Architects Awards for 2026.
Designed by McGarry-Moon architects, based in Coleraine, the Savoy was heralded for its architectural achievement following the redevelopment of two post-war apartment blocks adjacent to the original hotel, into sleek and coveted accommodation run by Clanmill Housing Association.
The Savoy’s new-look facade features curved, sweeping aerodynamic lines and rounded corners reminiscent of ships and airplanes, and typical of the architectural fashion’s evolution into the ‘Streamline Moderne’ aesthetic, and complements the residential Broadway area off the Donaghadee Road.
According to the architects, the Savoy boasts a ‘restrained and considered exterior palette’ with white rendered walls, ‘carefully detailed metal coping, and minimal embellishment that collectively convey elegance and simplicity’ and was delivered by Derryleckagh Contracts Ltd.
The new buildings usher in the Art Deco era ‘without pastiche’, according to the award judges, who said ‘the scheme responds sensitively to its surroundings, balancing domestic scale with a more civic presence’.
Recognising the key challenge of mediating between the low-rise residential streetscape of the homes along Broadway, with the original Art Deco building, the judges said that was ‘handled with skill through controlled massing, where the development maintains a modest two-storey presence along Broadway before gently increasing in height to align with the former hotel’.
“The result is a scheme that feels neither overbearing nor diminished, but carefully calibrated. The architecture draws from Art Deco influences without pastiche. Clean lines, stepped forms and subtle horizontality create a contemporary language rooted in place.
“Another challenge was delivering density while preserving amenity. This is resolved through efficient planning, with apartments arranged around central cores to maximise light and circulation. Communal spaces, terraces and a shared garden further support interaction and wellbeing.
”What makes the project award-winning is this balance of constraint and clarity, turning a complex site into a coherent, generous place to live,” stated the judges in their awards citation.
North Down MLA, Andrew Muir presented McGarry-Moon with their award during the recent ceremony at the Ulster Hall in Belfast.
“As a local MLA, I was thrilled to see The Savoy development recognised for its architectural achievement at the RSUA Awards and to be given a chance to show my appreciation,” he said.
“In Bangor, we have such a rich built heritage and I was delighted to see The Savoy given a new lease of life last year, particularly when it is providing much-needed social homes for my constituents. At the time, I was really impressed by the design by McGarry-Moon, which is both modern and striking while in keeping with the Art Deco features of the original building,” he added.
“Projects like this are vital for regenerating our urban spaces and community development, and I commend Clanmil and McGarry-Moon Architects for doing such an outstanding job.”
