A luxury block of flats has been crowned Britain’s most beautiful new building.

Bayside Apartments in Worthing was named the overall winner of The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust Building Beauty Awards 2023.

The mixed-tenure development in Brighton Road covers 15 storeys and comprises a 170ft seafront tower, six-storey garden square and a beachside café.

Designed by Allies and Morrison for Roffey Homes the block opened in 2021.

Judges praised the build for being an “original and powerful landmark” and a “worthy” replacement for the “depressing” 1960s Aquarena swimming pool that formerly occupied the site.

Judges said: “It sits literally beachside and forms an exclamation mark that counterbalances the horizontal mass of the pier. At the same time, it bookends the seafront terraces of Regency Worthing, harmonising well with their white stucco while steering clear of weak historicism.

“Its location at the point of transition between the Regency town and later development gives it a particular job to do: this is often the point at which close-grained townscape reaches a sputtering end, petering out into dispiriting ribbon development.

The Argus: The building opened in 2021The building opened in 2021 (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

“This building mitigates that by holding out the promise of a place worth visiting. Viewed from the distant pier, it announces itself as a destination – not aggressively, but as a complement to the historic town. At close quarters, the sinuous balconies offer visual variety and even a maritime echo, but in a disciplined way.

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“Sometimes seaside buildings can be over-literal in their references, with clodhopping detailing in the shape of waves and prows. Here it is done evocatively but subtly. Viewed obliquely, the sea-facing elevation is wonderfully playful, but seen full-frontal from the beach it is rigorous and devoid of frippery.”

Allies and Morrison received £12,000 from the trust for the win, which was announced earlier this month.

Bayside Apartments will now represent the UK on the international stage after automatically being shortlisted for the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust International Building Beauty Prize, presented at the World Architecture Festival at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore from November 29 to December 1.