Joint venture wins Award

A joint venture between Oxford Archaeology and Wessex Archaeology was recognised in the British Archaeological Awards when it won the flagship award of Best Archaeological Project for its work at Heathrow airport. The joint venture, known as Framework Archaeology, was formed to work for BAA at its airports and the award was for the archaeological works in advance of the new Heathrow Terminal 5.

The Framework Archaeology joint venture was the first one in the UK between professional archaeologists and was created to deal with one of the largest ever excavations in the UK to allow BAA to build the new Terminal 5 as quickly as possible. This innovation continued into the excavations with the pioneering recording of information digitally and extensive use of GIS.

The first of two books about the excavations was published promptly and was accompanied by another innovation; a CD ROM FreeViewer that allows an unparalleled amount of information to be made available. This means that as well as having the archaeologists account, the reader also has enough information to create their own virtual excavation. The Freeviwer itself was highly commended in the Award for Archeological Innovation.

Professor David Breeze, Chairman of the Awards panel said ‘We particularly admired the Heathrow Project for its innovative approach to collaboration, which rendered the daunting scale of the project attainable; for its ambitious and widely visionary research programme which was undoubtedly largely enabled by the project's innovative recording systems and participatory interpretative approaches; and its exciting layered approach to dissemination, and public involvement at all levels.’ He continued ‘The whole project stands as an exemplary exercise in execution, interpretation and dissemination with absolute commitment to the highest professional standards at every point.‘

In a joint statement Sue Davies and David Jennings, the Chief Executives of Wessex and Oxford Archaeology added ‘This award is a tribute to the very many staff from both organisations – well over 100, the academic advisor Professor John Barrett, the BAA consultant Gill Andrews, and all the experts who have been asked to give specialist advice. The innovative ways in which they have worked together, all the way from excavation to publication, has been recognised as being the very best.’

[11/11/2008]