architecture<\/a>.<\/p>\nFrom improving college life and collaborative work to transforming run-down derelict homes into desirable spaces, the shortlist reflects a broad range of ambition and optimism. <\/p>\n
In praise of the nominees chosen RIBA President, Chris Williamson, said:\u00a0\u201cThese projects demonstrate architecture\u2019s unique ability to address some of the most urgent challenges of our time, responding with creativity, adaptability and care. From a monumental civic building that champions investment in arts and culture, to the sensitive restoration of one the nation\u2019s most iconic landmarks, and a cutting-edge medical research facility, each offers a blueprint for how architecture can enrich society.”<\/p>\n
“At a time when quality housing is urgently needed across the country, the residential projects stand out for their inventive, human-centred design, from social housing that combats isolation in later life, to a bold home extension that celebrates reuse, and an accessible home that proves that beauty and accessibility can coexist. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Together, these projects offer a hopeful vision for the future, one where architecture strengthens communities and helps shape a more sustainable and inclusive built environment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
These are the six projects vying for the UK\u2019s highest accolade in architecture:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann Architects<\/p>\n
Replacing an abandoned care home, Appleby Blue radically reimagines the traditional almshouse to foster community and reduce isolation among residents. The layout flips a centuries-old typology, placing communal spaces at its heart to encourage interaction, while bay windows at street level connect residents to the outside world. <\/p>\n
Thoughtful details, such as the timber-clad interior, discreet accessibility features and terracotta paved hallways bursting with benches and planters, aim to deinstitutionalise the typical model of older people\u2019s housing. The result is a new standard for inclusive social housing in later life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Tower by Purcell<\/p>\n
Housing the symbolic \u2018Big Ben\u2019 bell \u2013 the timepiece of the nation, the most comprehensive restoration of Elizabeth Tower in 160 years is a conservation masterpiece. Traditional materials and bespoke craftspeople were sourced from across the UK to honour the Tower\u2019s original design, rectifying previous restoration missteps and repairing newly uncovered damage from the Second World War. <\/p>\n
Careful details, such as reinstating the Victorian colour scheme on the clock faces and reintroducing the St George\u2019s Cross, return the tower to its former glory. Subtle improvements to accessibility, including a new visitor lift, have also opened up the monument to a broader audience for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hastings House by Hugh Strange Architects<\/p>\n
Instead of demolishing an ageing hillside home, Hastings House reuses and celebrates the existing structure and materials to create a house of contrasts. A restrained, updated Victorian front gives way to a modern, timber framed rear, while a rough concrete courtyard celebrates its industrial character. <\/p>\n
A series of stitched extensions step up the hillside, blending inside and outside to cleverly create light-filled, open spaces. The result goes beyond a house extension, transforming the entire home and producing a lesson in restrained, inventive reuse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
London College of Fashion by Allies and Morrison<\/p>\n
Located in the cultural heart of the Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford, the new home for the London College of Fashion brings together its 6,000 staff and students for the first time. A constrained site prompted a vertical campus rising to 17 storeys, with dramatic staircases unfurling through a shared \u201cheart space\u201d to encourage collaboration. <\/p>\n
A restrained palette of materials allows the building to act as a canvas for its occupants, while long sightlines and flexible workspaces promote adaptability. Subtle nods to the area\u2019s industrial history create the feeling of a thriving \u201cfactory for fashion\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Niwa House by Takero Shimazaki Architects<\/p>\n
Meaning \u201cGarden Home\u201d in Japanese, Niwa House is a pavilion-like oasis built on a previously derelict South London plot. Sprawling across and downwards to navigate planning constraints, this \u201chorizontal home\u201d is a masterclass in craftsmanship and restraint.<\/p>\n
Subtle interventions, such as a flowing open-plan layout and integrated accessibility features create a seamless experience for its wheelchair-user resident while futureproofing it for later life, demonstrating how inclusive design can be functional yet elegant. A hybrid timber and stone structure, paired with floor to ceiling windows, bathe each room in light, while a courtyard garden rising through both floors underlines the serene sense of escapism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Discovery Centre (DISC) by Herzog and de Meuron \/ BDP<\/p>\n
AstraZeneca\u2019s Discovery Centre radically redefines the research facility, blending cutting-edge laboratories with welcoming public spaces. The surprisingly low-rise, sawtooth-roofed building adopts a curved triangular plan, forming an inviting interface for Cambridge\u2019s Biomedical Cluster. <\/p>\n
At its heart, a publicly accessible courtyard echoes the city’s iconic college quadrangles, one of the buildings many tributes to Cambridge\u2019s heritage. Inside, 16 glass-lined laboratories are connected by clever interconnecting corridors that balance stringent security with transparency, putting science on display. Flexible lab stations and open-plan layouts foster innovation in a bold new prototype for research facilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 will be announced at London\u2019s Roundhouse on 16 October 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ADVERTISEMENT An innovative home extension, an awe-inspiring new headquarters for fashion and a pioneering medical research facility are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45843,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[267],"tags":[367,365,362,363,364,1360,31624,366,18,117,19,17],"class_list":{"0":"post-45842","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-architecture","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-arts-and-design","11":"tag-artsanddesign","12":"tag-artsdesign","13":"tag-construction","14":"tag-cultural-heritage","15":"tag-design","16":"tag-eire","17":"tag-entertainment","18":"tag-ie","19":"tag-ireland"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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