BROUGHTON Hall's "piece of heaven" is one of 62 projects across Europe to pick up a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award for high architectural standards and contribution to the environment.

Designed by architect Sir Michael Hopkins, Utopia provides a haven for all the businesses on the Broughton Hall estate, with a restaurant, conference centre, meeting rooms, wireless internet facilities and quiet rooms.

Opened last year, it was constructed in the original two-acre Victorian walled garden, which has itself been redesigned by award-winning contemporary garden designer, Dan Pearson.

Broughton Hall was one of three Yorkshire projects to be honoured at the awards ceremony in London.

The others were ARC, in Hull, and the Underground Gallery at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, in Wakefield.

Just missing out on an award was the headquarters of the Ecology Building Society, at Silsden.

Roger Tempest, whose family owns Broughton Hall, said the Utopia award was excellent news.

He explained: "It's a unique project and a contemporary structure in a very traditional environment.

"It's very well used and a great addition to the parish of Broughton."

Mr Tempest added that Utopia had also been put forward for other awards.

The 62 RIBA winners - 54 in the UK and eight abroad - will now compete for the RIBA Stirling Prize in association with The Architects' Journal.

RIBA president, Jack Pringle, said: "I never realised until I became RIBA president and got involved in some of the judging just how hard it is to win an award from the RIBA.

"A winner has to clear more hurdles than a victorious Grand National horse.

"Every one of these winners is a champion and whether it's a small office fit-out in Belfast for £110,000 or a major international airport for £1.2 billion our most expensive award winner ever they are all equally good and equally honoured."