THE award-winning York Handmade Brick Company supplied 100,000 bricks to London Bridge Station, the runner-up in this year’s prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture.

One of Britain's busiest railway stations, London Bridge reopened in 2017 after a redevelopment that cost £1bn and took five years to complete.

The judges praised the station’s "voluminous spaces and impressive new concourse, which had significantly improved the experience of those who use it daily".

The Times newspaper wrote a leading article extolling the "stunning redevelopment which restored London bricks and archways to their former glory and washed commuters in natural light".

York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, also supplied 100,000 bricks for London Bridge Place, a new office and retail development, next door to the station. Together the contracts were worth £250,000. The company created special bricks called Autumn Sunset and London Stock for the two projects.

David Armitage, chairman of York Handmade, said they were honoured to have taken part and to have come so close to winning the Stirling Prize, the most prestigious award in the architectural world.

He said: "The whole station development is absolutely stunning and sets the bar incredibly high for future station redevelopments and restorations. This contract, together with our work at London Bridge, has really put us on the map. Our ability to produce attractive bespoke bricks to order means we are now on the radar of influential architects and builders across the country.

"They follow on from our work on the nearby Shard, arguably the most iconic modern building in the whole of London. It is fantastic that a Yorkshire company should have played a significant role in the acclaimed regeneration of the London Bridge area, which is now a commercial and residential hotspot."

Other high-profile projects carried out in London by the company include Highbury Stadium, Carmelite House and Highgate School.

Mr Armitage said: "Our acclaimed work in London means that our reputation as a premier brick supplier in the capital for both residential and commercial developments is gathering its own momentum. Our work on the Shard led to the prestigious London Bridge commissions, for example, so the future looks bright.”