Sports and Leisure Architecture Company Wins Prestigious Queen’s Award

A RIBA chartered architectural and design firm has received royal recognition for designing world class facilities in the UK and abroad. 

Driven International, which is based in Hook in Hampshire, has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for their international growth over the past three years. They were named in the International Trade category.

Driven International offers master planning, architecture and visualisation services, predominantly focused on the sports and leisure sector and is widely regarded as a leader in the specialist field of motor racing venue design.

They have delivered projects around the globe including in North and South America, Russia, China, South East Asia and Australia as well as in the UK; and in the past year more than 90% of their work has been international. 

Some of their most recent projects include master planning a new 200 acre automotive innovation park near Toronto, Canada, designing the Lebanon International Autodrome which includes a 1.8km FIA grade 4 race track and beach club and helping to prepare development plans for a 75-acre resort complex in the Bahamas, which includes luxury hotels, retail outlets, beach accommodation and outdoor sporting facilities.  

Ben Willshire, Managing Director and founder of Driven International, said: “We are thrilled to receive this award, particularly during such difficult times for all business owners as we face the challenges of COVID-19.  

“It is a privilege and honour to have been recognised at the highest level by Her Majesty The Queen, and an award that I am incredibly proud of.  Winning this award reflects the hard work and commitment by our entire team and I would like to thank everyone who has supported the company over the past five years and made this achievement possible.”

Driven International joins 7,000 other UK enterprises to receive the Award since they were established in 1965. Each Award is approved by Her Majesty The Queen following recommendation by the Prime Minister, and is regarded as the most prestigious recognition for UK businesses.  This is not the first prestigious award bestowed upon Driven International. The organisation, which formed in 2014, has been previously celebrated for their international trading efforts, twice winning the ‘Inspire International Business of the Year’ award in 2017 and 2018.