Two very different projects have been hailed for setting new standards in the Cayman Islands’ architectural and construction landscape.
Restored heritage home, Aldine Franklin House in East End, and John Gray High School in George Town won the 2025 Governor’s Award for Design and Construction Excellence.
Now in its 15th year, the annual award celebrates innovation, sustainability and construction quality across the islands.
Announcing this year’s winners in a press release, Governor Jane Owen said the programme highlights buildings that make “a genuine and lasting contribution to the Cayman Islands”.
“Not simply for how they look, but for how well they are built, how thoughtfully they respond to our climate and culture, and how well they serve the people who use them,” she said.
Owen added: “I am pleased to support this awards programme, which showcases the talent, ambition and confidence of the Cayman Islands to the wider world.”
Aldine Franklin House
Aldine Franklin House, the restoration of which was commissioned by the home’s owners Peter and Paula Dutton, won the Residential Award.
Rather than demolish the traditional timber structure, the project team carefully documented its original form and reinterpreted key elements – including rooflines and verandahs – while upgrading the home to meet modern resilience and environmental standards.
Elevated construction, operable shutters and passive cooling strategies were incorporated to improve durability and performance without compromising architectural character.
Judges praised the project as a powerful example of how restraint and respect for Cayman’s vernacular heritage can deliver architectural excellence.
The design team for Aldine Franklin House included Frederick and McRae as architect, APEC Consulting Engineers as structural engineer and Unit Construction as general contractor, supported by a range of local specialists.
John Gray High School
John Gray High School, described as a major national investment in educational and civic infrastructure commissioned by the Ministry of Education, won the commercial category.
The school’s new campus reflects extensive collaboration between local and international firms and represents one of the most significant public building projects undertaken in recent years, the press release said.
Judges noted that the scale of the development is matched by its emphasis on quality, resilience and long-term community benefit.
The project lead for the school was Chalmers Gibbs Architects, with international design collaboration from Jestico and Whiles and RAD in the UK.
The structural engineers were APEC Consulting Engineers, and the MEP designer was MCW Consultants. JEC Property Consultants acted as quantity surveyors, while general contractor was McAlpine Cayman.
In remarks at the ceremony, the award committee said that over the past 15 years the programme has “quietly but meaningfully raised expectations across Cayman’s construction industry”.
They added that this year’s winners demonstrate that excellence is defined not by size or spectacle, but by “care, resilience and responsibility to place”.
The awards were presented at a reception hosted at Government House on Seven Mile Beach last week.
The 2025 shortlist included Salt Spray, South Sound and The Meadows at Batabano in the residential category, and Cricket Square Pavilion East and Hotel Indigo, Grand Cayman in the commercial category.
