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
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk SpaceFurniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and placeLocanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
-
LVMH watch week 2025: everything we know so farOur guide to LVMH Watch Week 2025, taking place in New York and Paris, starting 21 January; keep an eye out for our updates
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscapeIn this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everydayThe shortlist for Don’t Move, Improve 2025 has been announced, revealing 14 residential projects across London that add value and pizazz to their inhabitants’ daily lives
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapterSpace House, a landmark of brutalist architecture by Richard Seifert & Partners in London’s Covent Garden, is back following a 21st-century redesign by Squire & Partners and developer Seaforth Land
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformationWalworth Town Hall gets a much-needed reimagining by Feix & Merlin, who transformed the heritage building into a contemporary workspace and a hub of its local community in south London
-
Hanif Kara on building materials, the transition from old to new, and a healthy dose of realismHanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering practice AKT II, discusses building materials and the future of sustainability
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A brutalist garden revived: the case of the Mountbatten House grounds by Studio Knight StokoeTour a brutalist garden redesign by Studio Knight Stokoe at Mountbatten House, a revived classic in Basingstoke, UK
-
An eco-conscious reconfiguration of space revives a London homeAn eco-conscious reimagining of a Victorian terraced home for a growing London family, THISS Studio’s Hartley House offers sustainable, spacious living
