Few awards have us on the edge of our seat like the RIBA Stirling Prize. The annual gong, given out by the renowned British institute, is one of the highest honours in architecture and this year's winner has just been announced; the Goldsmith Street council estate in Norwich, designed by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley, scooped the prize.
The worthy winner, revealed at a celebratory dinner and ceremony tonight in London, was praised by the judges for its modesty and architectural brilliance that combines sustainability in both environmentally and social sense. The complex meets rigorous ‘Passivhaus’ environmental standards, and comprises some 100 ultra low-energy homes for Norwich City Council, arranged in rows of two-storey house, bookended by three-storey flats.
Fostering community values, the back gardens of the central terraces share a secure ‘ginnel’ (alleyway) for children to play together.
The project won against some pretty tough competition from no less than five other, notable schemes: London Bridge Station by Grimshaw; The Weston at Yorkshire Sculpture Park by Feilden Fowles; Nevill Holt Opera by Witherford Watson Mann Architects; Cork House by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton; and The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
‘Goldsmith Street is a modest masterpiece,' say the judges, a panel chaired by Julia Barfield. ‘It is high-quality architecture in its purest most environmentally and socially-conscious form. Behind restrained creamy façades are impeccably-detailed, highly sustainable homes – an incredible achievement for a development of this scale. This is proper social housing, over ten years in the making, delivered by an ambitious and thoughtful council. These desirable, spacious, low-energy properties should be the norm for all council housing.'
INFORMATION
architecture.com
-
Bold colours and tactile textures: inside Bottega Veneta's second fine jewellery dropThe collection is composed of two parts: Enlaced and Alchemy
-
Bhutan's new international airport will unlock the magic of a notoriously inaccessible destinationThe Gelephu International Airport, to be designed by BIG, will open in 2029.
-
The Eagan house from 'Severance' is available to rentThe Taghkanic House by Thomas Phifer serves as the home of Lumon’s CEO in the AppleTV+ series, and can be rented out for dystopian stays
-
Showing off its gargoyles and curves, The Gradel Quadrangles opens in OxfordThe Gradel Quadrangles, designed by David Kohn Architects, brings a touch of playfulness to Oxford through a modern interpretation of historical architecture
-
A Norfolk bungalow has been transformed through a deft sculptural remodellingNorth Sea East Wood is the radical overhaul of a Norfolk bungalow, designed to open up the property to sea and garden views
-
A new concrete extension opens up this Stoke Newington house to its gardenArchitects Bindloss Dawes' concrete extension has brought a considered material palette to this elegant Victorian family house
-
A former garage is transformed into a compact but multifunctional spaceA multifunctional, compact house by Francesco Pierazzi is created through a unique spatial arrangement in the heart of the Surrey countryside
-
A 1960s North London townhouse deftly makes the transition to the 21st CenturyThanks to a sensitive redesign by Studio Hagen Hall, this midcentury gem in Hampstead is now a sustainable powerhouse.
-
Manchester United and Foster + Partners to build a new stadium: ‘Arguably the largest public space in the world’The football club will spend £2 billion on the ambitious project, which co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has described as the ‘world's greatest football stadium’
-
'Bold and unapologetic', this contemporary Wimbledon home replaces a 1970s house on siteThis grey-brick Wimbledon home by McLaren Excell is a pairing of brick and concrete, designed to be mysterious
-
Liu Jiakun wins 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize: explore the Chinese architect's workLiu Jiakun, 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, is celebrated for his 'deep coherence', quality and transcendent architecture
