You may well live in a pretty nice home, but it probably isn’t so good it’s won actual, proper architectural prizes. While lots of Brits can claim to live in historic (AKA ‘quite old’) buildings, only a select few structures have been officially awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
RIBA’s prestigious ‘house of the year’ award has been running (in some form or other) for over two decades, and it intends to celebrate the best newly-built homes in the UK each year. Last week RIBA revealed the shortlist for 2024’s award – and, as always, it’s giving us serious home envy.
Six homes make the cut this year, and they include an ‘extensively and sympathetically’ refurbished 16th century manor and a tranquil retirement home in Sussex. The structures are a mix of rural and urban, with two showing how centuries-old structures can be repurposed.
The overall winner will be announced in December, but in the meantime here are the six finalists
Farmworker’s House, Cornwall, by Hugh Strange Architects
Peckham House, London, by Surman Weston
Eavesdrop, Sussex, by Tom Dowdall Architects
The Hall, Kent, by TaylorHare Architects
Plas Hendy Stable Block, Monmouthshire, by Studio Brassica Architects
Six Columns, London, by 31/44 Architects
Last year’s RIBA ‘house of the year’ finalists ranged from a converted cowshed in Devon to a building made out of crushed TV screens. House of the year 2023 was eventually awarded to a ‘family home inspired by nature’ in London.
Commenting on the projects, RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said: ‘These six homes show how we can deliver high-quality residential architecture with impact.
‘Exemplars in sensitive restoration, climate-conscious design and ingenious urban placemaking – they each present a bold, creative solution to meet housing needs. Individually, they are truly remarkable, breathtaking pieces of architecture; together they offer scalable solutions to issues faced by our built environment – from reinventing existing buildings to working with complex and constrained sites. However, their true success lies in the health and wellbeing of those that live inside.’
In other RIBA news this year, you can read about how the Elizabeth line won the Stirling Prize (the most prestigious award in UK architecture) for 2024 here.
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