The work of a CIOB member has been recognised in an award at Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards 2026. 

Gala Bejar MCIOB is associate partner with multi-disciplinary practice Wilby & Burnett, which won Best New Building Under £3m Construction Value for its Cottenham Village Hall project. Bejar was lead designer on the build. 

Wilby & Burnett was appointed in September 2015 by Cottenham Parish Council to redesign the old, run-down community hall with a new, versatile and sustainable facility that would serve as a central hub for the Cottenham Community. 

The aesthetics of the village hall matched the pavilion on the opposite side of the Recreation Ground, which was also completed by Wilby & Burnett in 2015, using a mixture of buff bricks and black timber effect cladding panels. The hall provides a flexible letting space for the village and the first floor hall is complimented by the generous balcony, which makes the most of the expansive views out across the Recreation Ground. 

The project was completed in March 2021 and has also been recognised for its excellence in sustainable design and community engagement.