The reinvention of the former Royal London Hospital, the restoration of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower, and an almshouse designed to reduce social isolation for older generations, are among the 38 winners of the RIBA London Awards 2025.
Presented since 1966, the RIBA Awards set the standard for great architecture across the UK. The 2025 Awards were announced at a ceremony yesterday evening [13 May], at which Tower Hamlets Town Hall was named as winner of RIBA London Building of the Year Award 2025 (sponsored by EH Smith). The jury praised the project as a “tour de force of reinvention, combining a sensitivity to the existing building’s story with a sharpness of contemporary detailing.” They praised the approach as both “sensitive and brave, creating a modern, civic home for council administration, local services and democracy.”
The RIBA London Awards 2025 winning projects are:
Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann Architects – A contemporary almshouse in Southwark designed to reduce social isolation for older generations.
Blenheim Grove by Poulsom Middlehurst Ltd, Yard Architects and New Makers Bureau – Self-finish “shell” homes, built to ambitious sustainability standards, offer a clever solution for more affordable housing.
Citizens House by Archio (Client of the Year sponsored by Equitone) – A community led development off 11 affordable homes in a former backyard garage site in Lewisham.
Design District C1 and D1 by Architecture00 – Two unique, affordable workspace buildings in Greenwich that encourage public engagement.
Harfield Gardens by Quinn Architects – A retrofit of a mid-century-style house improves energy efficiency and aesthetics while preserving its original character.
Idlewild Mews by vPPR Architects – Eight affordable homes have been created from a challenging urban infill site in Croydon.
Niwa House by Takero Shimazaki Architects – A tranquil, Japanese style home designed to be wheelchair accessible.
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) by Bennetts Associates – The knitting together of a converted 19th century warehouse and a 1980s office block to form a new modern and inclusive home for the RCOG.
Sidcup Storyteller by DRDH Architects – A bold new red-brick library, cinema and co-working space has become the centrepiece of the high-street regeneration of Sidcup.
WorkStack by dRMM – A sustainable five-storey industrial building forms a sculptural landmark in Greenwich.
8 Bleeding Heart Yard by GROUPWORK – A highly detailed retrofit of a lifeless 1970s office building into a richly layered, sustainable workplace.
Becontree Avenue by Archio – A gentle addition to the world’s largest public housing scheme offers a blueprint for affordable homes while retaining its architectural context.
Catching Sun House by Studioshaw – A disused garage in Walthamstow has been transformed into a spacious, light filled home tucked between rows of terraced houses.
Central Foundation Boys’ School by Hawkins\Brown (Project Architect of the Year, Negar Mihanyar, and Sustainability Award sponsored by Autodesk) – A ten-year project has transformed a comprehensive secondary school and its estate, creating a varied and stimulating series of spaces for teaching and learning.
London College of Fashion by Allies and Morrison – A monumental piece of civic architecture, the new LCF brings together six former sites into one “vertical campus” on Stratford’s East Bank waterfront.
Mary Ward Centre by AWW – A bright, inclusive reinvention of a building on Stratford High Street forms a vibrant new community hub.
St. Mary’s Walthamstow by Matthew Lloyd Architects – An ageing Grade II* listed church has been transformed into a bright, uplifting space that serves the wider community.
The Gilbert & George Centre by SIRS Architects –An ingenious adaptive reuse of an 1820s former brewery on a restricted site off Brick Lane.
Tower Court by Adam Khan Architects, Muf Architecture/Art, Child Graddon Lewis Architects – The addition of 132 new homes to an existing local-authority estate is seamlessly integrated into the complex urban fabric of its surroundings.
Tower Hamlets Town Hall by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (Building of the Year sponsored by EH Smith) – The bold reinvention of the dilapidated and derelict Grade II listed former Royal London Hospital into a sensitive yet brave new home for Tower Hamlets council.
Young V&A by AOC Architecture and De Matos Ryan – The former Museum of Childhood has been reimagined into a light, bright and energising cultural destination for young visitors.
Chancery House by dMFK Architects and Norm Architects – This workspace project breathes new life and elegance into a previously anonymous office building, taking an intelligent and exemplary approach to reuse.
Daventry House by Mæ – 59 adaptable, “care-ready” affordable social-rent homes designed to support dignified independence in later life.
Hallelujah Project by Peregrine Bryant Architects (Conservation Award sponsored by Velux) – An exemplary conservation project reinstates the original form of this Grade I listed building that now celebrates the stories of former residents George Handel and Jimi Hendrix.
Quadrangle Building, King’s College London by Hall McKnight – A subterranean structure that improves connectivity and creates flexible learning spaces beneath King’s College London.
Soho Place by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris – 20 years in the making, this technically complex development delivers West End’s first new theatre in 50 years, alongside new public spaces and workplaces.
The Greenhill Building – Harrow Arts Centre by Chris Dyson Architects – A flexible new building at Harrow Arts Centre delivers transformative social value and a lasting cultural impact.
Haringey Brick Bungalow by Satish Jassal Architects – Built in a constrained yard behind a butcher’s shop, this low-carbon home maximises space setting a benchmark for what can be achieve on tight urban sites.
Maitland Park Estate Redevelopment by Cullinan Studio with ECE Westworks – 119 new homes and a new community hall delivered through community focussed design on a large Camen estate.
New Wave House by Thomas-McBrien Architects and New Wave London – A new timber-framed roof extension atop an existing two-storey, light industrial building in North London.
Pine Heath by Studio Hagen Hall – Pine Heath is an extensive, yet sensitive, whole-house refurbishment and low-energy retrofit of a late-modern terraced house in a North London conservation area.
Technique by Buckley Gray Yeoman – Transformation of a former printworks and gin distillery into low-carbon adaptable workspaces.
Chelsea Brut by Pricegore Architects – The extension, refurbishment and retrofit of a four-storey 1960s townhouse.
Costa’s Barbers by Brisco Loran and Arrant Industries (Small Project of the Year) – A Battersea shop unit has been imaginatively converted into a flexible home and office by its architect-owners.
Elizabeth Tower by Purcell – Housing the symbolic bell and timepiece of the nation (Big Ben), the most comprehensive restoration of Elizabeth Tower in 160 years is a masterpiece in conservation and craftsmanship.
Lower Ham by Fletcher Crane Architects – A striking modern home that confidently stands out from its neighbours on the banks of the Thames.
Royal College of Music, London by John Simpson Architects – A sensitive redevelopment of the East Courtyard of the RCM offers a confident and enduring contribution to South Kensington’s cultural landscape.
V&A Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley with Purcell – An exemplary programme of restoration pairs careful conservation alongside modern functionality that allows its galleries to flourish.
The 38 projects were selected by the expert jury, who visited all shortlisted projects.
RIBA Regional Director of London, John Nahar, said: “Congratulations to all our RIBA London Award winners. Spanning every corner of the capital, this year’s selection is a breathtaking display of variety, creativity, and purpose.
These projects tackle some of the most pressing challenges we face today – from affordable housing and social isolation to the environment and the need for retrofit and reuse. It’s inspiring to see such a wide range of innovative and considered projects – a testament to the strength and ingenuity of architects in the region.”
Speaking on all the UK Award winners, RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, said:
“This year’s winners exemplify architecture’s power to transform – turning spaces into places of connection, creativity, and care. Spanning the length of the UK and diverse in form and function, our 2025 winners show a deep sensitivity to place and a strong coherence of thought between all teams involved. Individually these projects inspire and uplift, but collectively, they remind us that architects do far more than design buildings, they shape the way we live, work and connect.”
RIBA London Award winners will now be considered for a highly coveted RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, which will be announced on 10 July. The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.
Full list of regional special awards announced this evening:
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Citizens House by Archio (Client of the Year sponsored by Equitone)
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Central Foundation Boys’ School by Hawkins\Brown (Project Architect of the Year, Negar Mihanyar, and Sustainability Award sponsored by Autodesk)
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Tower Hamlets Town Hall by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (Building of the Year sponsored by EH Smith)
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Hallelujah Project by Peregrine Bryant Architects (Conservation Award sponsored by Velux)
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Costa’s Barbers by Brisco Loran and Arrant Industries (Small Project of the Year)
