The restoration of one of Birmingham's most well-known and historic business addresses was among the winners at a regional property awards.

The conversion of 55 Colmore Row from a single occupier building to a modern office block was praised by judges at the tenth British Council for Offices' (BCO) Midlands and Central England awards.

For decades, the building provided a home for law firm Wragge & Co, now known as Gowling WLG, before it moved to a new head office at Two Snowhill in 2014.

Birmingham-based group IM Properties carried out a £30 million renovation project to create new office space and bring its historic ground floor banking hall back to life.

BCO judges handed it the best refurbished/recycled workplace award at its ceremony at Town Hall Birmingham.

55 Colmore Row was given a striking new reception as part of the £30m renovation
55 Colmore Row was given a striking new reception as part of the £30m renovation

The panel highlighted the fact many challenges had been overcome by the developer, including the successful incorporation of the original Victorian banking hall and existing stone façades into the finished complex.

It is now home to law firm Pinsent Masons and property consultancy Savills.

Also taking home an award was Alpha Works, the new serviced office space within Alpha Tower which was launched following a £1 million conversion project.

It opened last year on the 21st and 22nd floors and has offices, hot desks, private areas and breakout and event spaces.

Alpha Works was named the winner for projects up to 1,500 sq metres, with judges feeling it delivered a prototype for a regional serviced office space.

Co-working space Alpha Works was created within Alpha Tower
Co-working space Alpha Works was created within Alpha Tower

The BCO Awards recognise the highest quality office developments across the UK with regional winners going through to the national ceremony in London on October 2.

The other Midlands winners were One Friargate in Coventry (corporate workspace), One Station Square in Cambridge (commercial workplace) and ASOS's Contact Centre in Watford (fit out).

Judging panel chairman Rob van Zyl said: "From creating spaces for Cambridge's thriving science and technology sector, to housing iconic corporates across the region, the workplaces that won the regional awards this year are truly diverse.

"What these winning workplaces have in common is how they've used innovative office design to truly transform the way occupying businesses have operated.

"These projects have also kept employee wellness in mind, for example by incorporating natural sunlight or by making the most of iconic views of the surrounding local landscape."

Alpha Works opened last year following a £1m renovation project
Alpha Works opened last year following a £1m renovation project

Rob Groves, chairman of the BCO Midlands & East Anglia committee, added: "A clear theme has emerged from entries across the region this year - delivering excellence in the face of challenging conditions.

"This includes everything from working around busy or short time frames for development, considering the public environment, or refitting historic and often iconic, local buildings.

"Our entrants not only navigated these challenges but used them to their advantage, maximising unusual features of old buildings in new designs and seamlessly linking developments in busy areas with public thoroughfares and train stations."