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Winner
BBC
One of the country's greatest institutions has also proven itself the greatest construction client of the year. And what a year it's been: £580m of projects awarded (that's a 780% increase on last year) including the £500m redevelopment of the iconic Broadcasting House and the £25m Music Centre at White City. The White City development, masterplanned by architect Allies and Morrison, is nearing completion in west London and has provided a much-needed landmark building of exceptional architectural standards. With a total of 360 projects planned for Glasgow, Birmingham, Wales and regional TV centres and radio stations across the UK, the BBC's property portfolio is at last becoming as impressive as the organisation that it houses, and – luckily for us – the construction industry has benefited immeasurably.

'The BBC has embarked upon an ambitious, larger scale property strategy'

RUNNERS-UP
Hammerson
Everybody likes a bit of glamour, and our second-placed client of the year provides this in bucketfuls. A stone's throw away from the Grosvenor House, where these awards are being held, are the offices of major developer Hammerson. Responsible for the fantastic £500m transformation of Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre, completed last year, as well as high-profile commercial developments in London and Paris, Hammerson could be mistaken for being all about the glitz. Far from it. This company's inspiring partnering, environmental and sustainability credentials make Hammerson one of the most forward-thinking clients we've come across. So, not just a pretty face then.

'Hammerson is leading the way in partnering with all members of the supply chain'

Cambridge University
With eight centuries of construction procurement behind it, Cambridge University has got to be one of the oldest and, needless to say, best respected clients in the industry. Last year it awarded £94m of contracts and recent projects have included the Centre for Nanoscience – an exemplar of collaboration as well as of fine engineering and high quality architecture. Other schemes included the ECA-designed Centre for Mathematical Sciences and the £12m Fitzwilliam Museum redevelopment with Amec. It seems the privileged students of Cambridge University are getting luckier by the day, with £600,000 every 24 hours being spent by their university on its buildings.

'A commitment to fair and innovative procurement has brought great dividends'

Sainsbury's
The entire supermarket sector has enjoyed a recent resurgence, but no supermarket client has developed its procurement strategy with as much class as Sainsbury's. Formed three years ago, the Sainsbury's Construction Alliance is leading the way in terms of partnering, with an integrated supply chain in place for its £620m of work all over the country. It has demonstrated commitment to best practice, lean construction, the Considerate Constructors scheme, sustainability, KPIs and design innovation. This client sets an example not just to its peers, but also to the entire construction industry and clients across all sectors.

'Sainsbury's is an innovative pioneer in stretching the boundaries of the partnering concept'

Royal Albert Hall
Surely the industry's most elegant one-off client, the Royal Albert Hall has come to the end of a £70m restoration and refurbishment scheme that has employed a positively orchestral range of skills from across the industry over its nine-year programme. The venue has addressed threats to its survival with construction solutions: investing in more capacity for lucrative corporate hospitality; increasing seating capacity; and improving circulation spaces, bars and facilities to ensure the public come back again and again. Working closely with the contractor and project team was essential to enable the Royal Albert Hall to continue putting on world-class performances (320 a year) all the time work was carried out, with the minimum of disruption to concert-goers and performers.

'Its future as an architectural treasure and centre of performance is secured'