Some of the best in recent architecture and design has been highlighted at an awards ceremony.

The Norwich Society's Design Awards 2013 praised a number of buildings and restorations around the city.

The society traditionally takes the role of guardian and preserver of an old and much-loved city, and takes an initiative to encourage and highlight the best of modern architecture.

The awards were established by Dr Richard Cocke in 2005 to stimulate interest and critical assessment of contemporary architecture. Since then, the society's planning appraisal committee has taken on the task of presenting the awards biennially.

At the presentation, which took place on Tuesday evening, Dr James Benedict Brown of the new NUA School of Architecture gave a talk on architectural education in Norfolk.

Two architects from the society's planning appraisal committee, David Ford and Philip Bodie, presented an illustrated evaluation of all the short-listed buildings and the lord mayor presented the certificates.

Dr Brown presented the Sir Bernard Feilden Award, a statuette of a city lion, for outstanding conservation work.

The criteria for the awards were that the buildings or works should be within Norwich, should be finished during the two preceding years and no later than the summer before the awards.

Vicky Manthorpe, administrator of the society, said: 'Because of the protracted economic recession we thought there might not be enough new buildings to stage the awards this year.

'But once the committee began looking they found 26 buildings or projects to nominate and some very interesting – particularly in the area of private housing and extensions where a number of awards have been given; a sign of necessity being the mother of invention, perhaps. But work on some public and community buildings has also been of a very high standard.

'Unlike other architectural awards the Norwich Society is looking especially for sympathetic scale and suitability for the historic environment as well as quality of workmanship. For the conservation award, emphasis is on use of original and traditional materials, traditional craftsmanship, and adaption to modern use.'

The winners included the pedestrian Jarrold Bridge on Whitefriars, City Academy on Bluebell Road, and Hammerton Court, a dementia intensive care unit at the Julian Hospital on Bowthorpe Road.

Among the residential properties praised were The Lodge, in Bowthorpe Road, and 14 Clarendon Road.

Pictures of all the nominated buildings can be seen as part of the Norfolk Association of Architects exhibition in the Forum today, and again from October 20–23.