Cardiff Uni's Cubric brain scan centre wins design award

Cubric also won the Design Through Innovation category

Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre has been named Project of the Year at Wales' annual design awards.

The £44m centre received the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors award, which recognises projects with innovation and community benefits.

It was praised for its "precise and beautifully detailed multi-sensory design".

A prison, chapel and a castle visitor centre were also recognised.

Cubric brings together four hi-tech scanners under one roof and is considered a centre of excellence for brain imaging and a world-leader for research in psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience.

The centre, which also won the Design Through Innovation category, also houses brain stimulation equipment, sleep laboratories and drug trial facilities.

RICS judges said it "exquisitely embraces a cluster of unique brain imaging scanners, with the surrounding building design harmoniously reflecting the neuroscience work".

They added: "Precise and beautifully detailed multi-sensory design generates an intuitive rhythm throughout. Interconnected functions, from world-class scanning through research, to sleep laboratories intertwine creatively, maximising purpose with invisible user-enhancing design."

Other winners included:

• Cornerstone, the former Ebenezer Chapel in Cardiff for Building Conservation

• HM Prison Berwyn, Wrexham for Community Benefit

• Harlech Castle Visitor Centre, in Gwynedd for Tourism and Leisure

• One Central Square offices won the Commercial award

All winners will now compete at the RICS Awards Grand Final on 2 November in London, for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective category.

Cornerstone, the former Ebenezer Chapel in Cardiff, is now a community hub

The conversion of Harlech Castle Hotel into new apartments, visitor area, cafe, shop, staff offices and a bridge was also praised

HMP Berwyn was built on a former factory site on Wrexham Industrial Estate, and when full will hold 2,106 prisoners