A formerly dilapidated historic building at the heart of a maritime heritage destination in Kent - that was described by English Heritage in 2009 as 'One of the most intractable problems in the South East' has won its second prestigious award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

The new use, that has rescued No. 1 Smithery, resulted from a partnership between the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, The Imperial War Museum and National Maritime Museum creating a modern facility for National Treasures and a touring exhibition gallery. The project was also awarded a specialist award for 'Conservation' in November 2011.

No. 1 Smithery, at the heart of The Historic Dockyard Chatham, has undergone a remarkable transformation from a decaying 'at risk' Scheduled Ancient Monument to a centre for national maritime collections and a state of the art cultural venue. It provides touring and permanent galleries, facilities for the collections of approximately 4,000 ship models and education events and support facilities.