The Elizabeth line has just won the UK’s most prestigious architecture prize

Earlier this year, the Elizabeth line was nominated for a very prestigious architecture award, the RIBA Stirling Prize. Now, the results are in, and she’s only gone and bloody won it. 

The Lizzie line, designed by architecture studios Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation and AtkinsRéalis, has been crowned the best architecture in Britain, taking the prize for the best new architecture in the UK. 

‘The Elizabeth Line is a triumph in architect-led collaboration, offering a flawless, efficient, beautifully choreographed solution to inner-city transport,’ said Stirling Prize jury chair and RIBA president Muyiwa Oki.

The UK’s busiest train line was described as ‘like entering a portal to the future’, and its futuristic design featuring white panels and bright white lighting was praised highly in comparison to the often dark and dingy tube lines. 

‘Descending into the colossal network of tunnels feels like entering a portal to the future, where the typical commuter chaos is transformed into an effortless experience. It rewrites the rules of accessible public transport, and sets a bold new standard for civic infrastructure, opening up the network and by extension, London, to everyone,’ said Oki. 

Used by 700,000 passengers every weekday, the 73-mile-long network of underground tunnels beat the new National Portrait Gallery and King’s Cross Masterplan to the top spot.  

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