Architecture Unknown scoops two prizes at the BUILD Magazine Architecture Awards

Manchester’s Architecture Unknown is celebrating two wins at this year’s BUILD Magazine Architecture Awards.

The Ancoats-based practice scooped two prizes this month for its work on Peel Park Community Centre in Salford.

Charlie Butterwick and Daniel Kelso, founders of Architecture Unknown, took home the ‘Most Community-Focused Architecture Practice 2025’ and the ‘Best Community Centre Project 2025 (Northern England).

Peel Park opened its doors in February this year. The impressive £950k project was built using a zero-carbon, modular design system called WikiHouse – making it one of the greenest buildings in Salford.

WikiHouse is often described as the IKEA of construction, offering the opportunity for anyone to get in on the build. In June 2024, around 60 local school children were among the local volunteers who helped to get construction underway at the centre. More than 100 volunteers from the Little Hulton, Salford, also came down to lend a hand on the construction site.

Director and Design Lead, Daniel Kelso from Architecture Unknown, said: “Well over 1000 hours of donated sweat equity has gone into making this building, the award really honours that hard work.

“For Architecture Unknown, Peel Park is the heart of what we do; community lead architecture that creates artistic and functional spaces that will enrich an area for many years to come. We a very proud to win the awards as they celebrate our talented team, our core business values and the passion behind our design.”

The BUILD awards recognise those who work seamlessly as a team, listen to and truly hear their clients, and those who innovate through their process from start to finish.

Awards Coordinator for the Build Magazine Architecture Awards, Kaven Cooper commented on the success of this year’s winners: “Learning more about our winners’ journeys is always a delight, and this year’s Architecture Awards process has been an exhilarating process.

“It’s so wonderful to see the positive impact our awardees have on the rest of the world, especially as their creativity and dependability ripple out across surrounding communities by means of their designs and creations. Here’s to the next half of 2025, and beyond.”

To find out more about these prestigious awards, and the dedicated professionals selected for them, visit:

 https://www.build-review.com/awards/architecture-awards/.

The UK’s best new architecture – RIBA National Awards 2025 winners announced

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winners of the RIBA National Awards 2025 for architecture. The Awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognise the best of UK architecture and provide insight into the country's design and social trends.

Winning projects range across every corner of the country, from the Isle of Wight to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Diverse in scale, from Astra Zeneca’s monumental curved “triangular” research facility (The Discovery Centre), and London College of Fashion’s striking “vertical campus” in Stratford, to the sensitive conservation of two dilapidated farm buildings in the Isle of Wight (The Old Byre) and the transformation of a former Battersea shop unit into a flexible home and office at Costa’s Barbers.

The power of architecture to influence and transform communities was central to many of this year’s winners. Appleby Blue Almshouse in Southwark showcases how thoughtful sequencing can foster communal interaction and thereby reduce social isolation. Similarly, Hazelmead, Bridport Cohousing is designed to cultivate an open, connected community for its 53 homes.

Meanwhile, the red-brick Sidcup Storyteller has become a focal point in the high-street regeneration of the area, while the fire damaged Sheerness Dockyard Church has been sensitively restored into a vibrant community facility. Transformation also takes more human forms. HMP & YOI Stirling offers a therapeutic, trauma informed design that integrates the surrounding landscape and supports rehabilitation at this women's prison, while Hope Street, in Southampton, offers a quietly radical model for supporting women in the justice system, demonstrating how architecture can be a powerful agent for meaningful social change.

Restoration and conservation are equally prominent. In London, the Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben, stands as a masterpiece in conservation and heritage preservation, while the renovation of the Young V&A in East London takes a dark site into a bright, energising cultural destination. In Scotland, the sensitive restorations of two Grade A listed buildings, Aldourie Castle Estate and Fairburn Tower, highlights the merits of local skills and traditional techniques.

Commenting on the winning projects, 2025 RIBA Awards Group Chair, Simon Henley, said:

“Congratulations to each of this year's RIBA National Award winners. Each of these 20 winning projects is a powerful testament to the diversity and depth of our profession. They demonstrate how architecture is not just a creative force, but also central in addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time.  

This year’s winners reflect the many and varied ways architects are being asked to work, and their incredible motivation and breadth of expertise. As a profession, we now look to the past as much as the future, and to care and repair as we do to build. We continue to innovate but we also seek continuity, and in so doing to make work of every scale that is engaging and thoughtful. The power of architecture to transform society and inform our way of life is on full display in every winning project.” 

The 20 RIBA National Award 2025 winners are:   

8 Bleeding Heart Yard by GROUPWORK - A highly detailed retrofit of a lifeless 1970s office building into a richly layered, sustainable workplace.   

Aldourie Castle Estate by Ptolemy Dean Architects Ltd - An elegant and exemplary conservation of a Grade A listed estate using local materials and crafts. 

Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann Architects - A contemporary almshouse in Southwark cleverly designed to reduce social isolation for older generations 

Citizens House by Archio - A community led development off 11 affordable homes in a former backyard garage site in Lewisham. 

Costa’s Barbers by Brisco Loran and Arrant Industries - A Battersea shop unit has been imaginatively converted into a flexible home and office. 

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. 

Fairburn Tower by Simpson & Brown for The Landmark trust - A meticulous conservation effort has restored a dilapidated Category A listed structure using traditional craftmanship. 

Hastings House by Hugh Strange Architects - An inventive and finely detailed extension to a late 19th century house, working at the intersection of ethics and aesthetics. 

Hazelmead, Bridport Cohousing by Barefoot Architects - 53 timber-framed affordable homes form a sustainable, co-housing development in Bridport that is designed to embrace community.  

HMP & YOI Stirling by Holmes Miller - A therapeutic, trauma-informed women’s prison that provides spaces that promote dignity, equality and meaningful rehabilitation. 

Hope Street by Snug Architects - A quietly radical model for supporting women in the justice system, the modest architecture balances opposing needs to leave a lasting impact.   

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.  

Niwa House by Takero Shimazaki Architects - A timber framed, tranquil, Japanese style home designed to be fully wheelchair accessible. 

Sheerness Dockyard Church by Hugh Broughton Architects - A twice fire-damaged Grade-II* listed church has been exquisitely restored and transformed into a community facility.   

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.   

Student Hub, Queens Business School Belfast by TODD Architects - An innovative and sustainable learning space that blends sensitively into the surrounding woodlands. 

The Discovery Centre (DISC) by Herzog & de Meuron / BDP - A welcoming, “triangular” medical research facility for AstraZeneca blending thoughtful placemaking with scientific innovation.   

The Old Byre by Gianni Botsford Architects - This conversion of two understated farm buildings on the Isle of Wight creates a new home while also offering residency and working spaces for visiting artists.  

Triangle House by Artefact - A playful and inventive extension to a 1950’s suburban home in Surrey 

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.  

RIBA National Award 2025 winners will now be considered for the highly coveted RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK’s best new architecture, the shortlist of which will be announced on 4 September. 

Morgan Sindall Construction completes landmark £62.5m school in Abergavenny

Morgan Sindall Construction has marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of the main building phase for the King Henry VIII 3-19 School redevelopment in Abergavenny.  

A special celebration was held to commemorate this transformative achievement. Representatives from Morgan Sindall, Monmouthshire County Council, and key project partners gathered on site to officially hand over the new school building to the client, ahead of a scheduled year of further external works. 

Procured via the SEWSCAP framework, the £62.5 million project delivers a purpose-built, all-through school for Monmouthshire County Council. It brings together primary, secondary, and sixth form education on a single campus, incorporating wraparound childcare, Flying Start provision and specialist facilities for children with additional learning needs. 

The school comprises 15,000 square metres of teaching space, including 107 teaching spaces. These are distributed across the Lower School, Upper School, and Sixth Form, alongside dedicated sixth form dining facilities, flexible open teaching zones, outdoor learning areas, and designated forest school spaces. 

The development also features wellbeing zones, sensory rooms, home economics areas, and dedicated Special Resource Base (SRB) spaces to support pupils with additional learning needs.  

Externally, the site will offer a 3G football pitch, a 2G hockey pitch, a cycle training zone, Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), long jump facilities, and a new Active Travel route - fully lit and publicly accessible - connecting key parts of the site. 

Constructed using a steel frame and incorporating GGBS cement to reduce embodied carbon, the school is Monmouthshire County Council’s first that is designed to be Net Zero Carbon in operation. 

Photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed to power the school directly. Additional sustainability measures include underfloor heating, air source heat pumps, enhanced insulation, and triple-glazed windows. 

The project team successfully navigated a range of logistical and environmental challenges, including managing high groundwater levels and working on a sloping site.  

Early contractor involvement played a pivotal role in overcoming these hurdles, enabling intelligent design solutions to be implemented at an early stage - particularly in relation to steelwork, mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems, groundworks, kitchen fit-out, and furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E).  

A key adaptation was made to the sheet piling design to preserve a 700-year-old oak tree, which is now a central feature of the landscape plan. 

Carbon output for the project has been carefully monitored using the proprietary CarboniCa carbon assessment tool, which enables accurate tracking and control of carbon emissions. 

In addition, Morgan Sindall has applied its 10 Tonne Challenge to this project, encouraging collaboration across consultants and the supply chain to identify innovative ways of reducing carbon emissions during the construction process. 

Beyond environmental sustainability, the project has delivered significant social value for the local community. Morgan Sindall created 60 new jobs for those not in education, employment or training or the long-term unemployed, while supporting 22 new apprentices.  

The team engaged more than 9,323 pupils through STEM activities and donated over 1,000 hours to school engagement programmes. The commitment to supporting the Welsh economy was demonstrated through sourcing 82% of the workforce from Wales and retaining 84% of supply chain spend locally. 

Robert Williams, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Wales, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have delivered this transformative project for Monmouthshire County Council and the local community. King Henry VIII 3-19 School represents not only a major investment in education but also in sustainable construction and inclusive design. 

“This project is a testament to what can be achieved through early collaboration, intelligent planning, and a shared commitment to creating inspiring learning environments.  

"I'd like to thank the client team at Monmouth, the consultants and our project team, supply chain, and all our partners for their hard work and dedication in bringing this vision to life. 

"A fantastic project that has been not only a great delivery success but has also built some wonderful friendships and relationships along the way - a true collaboration with one shared goal." 

Hill Dickinson Stadium: Open For Business!

Hill Dickinson Stadium, a landmark new venue on the banks of the iconic River Mersey, is now open for non-matchday bookings.

Everton’s new home welcomes conferences, exhibitions, product launches, trade shows, corporate dinners and outdoor concerts and events from 2025 and beyond.

Set on the city’s world-famous waterfront, and just minutes from the city centre, the brand-new, world-class venue is built for more than just football, with flexible, modern facilities and exceptional connectivity to regional and international transport links making it an ideal choice for delegates and organisers alike.

Designed to operate as a 365 venue, Hill Dickinson Stadium features premium hospitality and cutting-edge technology. Choose from a range of river view and pitch view spaces, all equipped with robust AV, high-speed connectivity, and digital signage for seamless branding and personalisation.

Sustainability is at the heart of the stadium’s design, with energy-efficient systems and responsible sourcing embedded throughout.

One of the stadium’s stand-out features is The Plaza; a vast outdoor space with capacity for up to 17,000 guests, which offers a versatile canvas for large-scale events, from brand activations and product launches to exhibitions and festivals.

Indoors, a range of contemporary restaurants are available for private hire, serving globally-inspired menus crafted with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.

Event organisers can enhance their booking with exclusive Everton experiences, including behind-the-scenes and private stadium tours.

On-site parking is available for all non-matchday bookings, ensuring smooth guest access.

Demand is already high ahead of the stadium’s official opening, so businesses are encouraged to secure dates early to avoid disappointment.

Please note that smaller social events and private celebrations will continue to be hosted at Goodison Park.

To make an enquiry or request a brochure, visit www.hilldickinsonstadium.com/venue-hire

Light Forms luminaires specified in huge Birmingham office overhaul

As part of a £38.8m refurbishment of a Birmingham City Centre commercial office space, a wide variety of luminaires from high-performance lighting manufacturer, Light Forms, have been specified into the upgraded building.

The office space sits within Brindleyplace; a large, mixed-use canal-side development in the heart of Birmingham. It is home to restaurants, shops, leisure offerings such as the Sealife Centre, and a number of commercial office buildings.

Wilmott Dixon Construction was appointed by the building owner CBRE Investment Management to combine two separate sites – 8 and 10 Brindleyplace – into one large building. The transformation would also create a more modern space with a focus on smart technology, sustainability and wellness. Not only was this better from an environmental perspective, it would help to attract future occupants of the office and ensure the area remains buoyant and commercially successful.

Given the focus on sustainability, LED lighting was an important part of delivering improved energy savings and a better carbon footprint. A plethora of solutions have been specified by Light Forms, fulfilling many of the lighting requirements of the refurbishment project. These were primarily specified by Wilmott Dixon Interiors, who were responsible for the internal fit-out of the renovated offices.

Light Forms was able to offer a wide variety of solutions for the project given its well-rounded and all-encompassing portfolio. This is alongside Light Forms’ commitment to offering flexible products that can be adapted and customised in a variety of ways to best suit the needs of each and every project.

These include Lightplane 2.5; a compact and streamlined luminaire that provides direct, indirect or direct-indirect illumination. Offering the adaptability that Light Forms is renowned for, Lightplane 2.5 can be suspended, wall or surface mounted. The Brindleyplace office is using the prismatic lens for low UGR, which delivers a more pleasant and healthier working environment.

Elsewhere in the building, Light Forms Cygnus Round luminaires have been used, along with ValueDown. Cygnus Round is a minimalist, high-power LED track spot with a wide range of light sources and optics. ValueDown is a budget-friendly, recessed downlight spot fixture that may be specified in multiple outputs with a beam spread of 15, 25 or 40 degrees.

Other specified solutions include Nova Medium 62, Leo, Indus, Slimline 1.25, TinCan, Lightrod 80 and Panel Up and Under.

Completing the project are the EM surface, EM Recessed and EM Exit. These are all part of Light Forms’ LED Emergency luminaire range, which encompasses both emergency spotlights and exit signs. The lighting configuration and control was completed by Mymesh; wireless controls designed for professional and demanding environments.

Harry Prior, Managing Director from Light Forms said: “Brindleyplace offices are an enviable location within Birmingham city centre, offering ease of access, an attractive waterside setting and stunning architecture. To have our luminaires featured so heavily in this exciting renovation project to bring two spaces together was incredibly exciting. Furthermore, it truly demonstrates how much our portfolio can meet the needs of even the most ambitious refurbishments, including those where sustainability is a key part of the work.”

The overhaul has now linked the two formerly separate sites into one building, creating 212,000 sq ft of office space over nine floors. The location also boasts of the city’s largest available floorplans at over 27,000 sq ft. Other improvements include internal reconfiguration such as the brand-new reception area. Extra facilities have been added including a café, business lounge and conference facilities.

The redevelopment has achieved a number of accreditations, including Fitwel; a standard that measures occupant health and wellbeing. It has also been awarded other certifications including EPC A rating and BREEAM Excellent.

Client: CBRE

Contractor: Wilmott Dixon

Architect: Associated Architects

Consultant: CPW

Controls: Mymesh

Built to last or should we look towards the past? Exploring the durability of new-build homes

It’s no secret the reputation of new-build housing is becoming increasingly negative among UK residents. In fact, a 2023 study by the CIOB found that almost a third of people would describe new builds as ‘poor-quality’, with over half of the respondents believing that older homes are of better quality.

What exactly are the reasons behind this belief? In this article, the Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) explores how the materials used in new builds compare to those of the Victorian era, and the impact of today’s homes on their residents and the environment.

Modern homes have both obvious similarities and stark differences to those of the 19th century. In the Victorian era, houses were built using local materials, due to the ease of transportation. Following the abolishment of the tax on glass and bricks in the 1850s, brick, timber and glass became standard materials in most homes.

In the 21st century, housebuilders are using more plastics in nearly every part of construction, from flooring to insulation, and fittings for applications like pipes, seals, windows, doors and cables, due to the low cost of the material.

Until relatively recently, copper was the material of choice for transporting water and heat. Plastic pipes have unfortunately become more commonplace, despite growing evidence highlighting its adverse health and environmental effects.

Increasing quality concerns around new build houses also bring into question the durability of the materials used, with common issues including cracks and leaky pipes. It’s no surprise residents are moving house more often, to avoid costly maintenance works.

Meanwhile, Victorian properties are more durable, with over a quarter of the British population living in them. Thanks to the traditional building techniques that prioritised quality materials like hand-crafted bricks and copper pipes, these homes have stood the test of time.

With plastics in all areas of the modern home, this unfortunately impacts on the longevity of today’s stock. Not only do plastics deteriorate more quickly than traditional materials, but they have associated fire and health risks, posing a serious threat to human health.

While modern homes excel in incorporating new technologies, appliances and building quality and environmental standards, there remain lessons to be learnt from the past. The average new build home has a lifespan of just 40-60 years, whereas Victorian properties incorporating natural materials have proven to hold for more than 100 years with some TLC. Among the most resilient materials are copper pipes and plated wiring, natural stone, all-wood floors and steel.

One lesson we can take from the past even predates the Victorians – copper has been used to transport water for over 4,000 years. Unlike plastic, it is fire resistant and infinitely recyclable, rendering it a superior and long-lasting material.

For more information on the sustainability credentials of copper, visit: https://www.cuspuk.com/.

£1.7m refurbishment project to provide 'Construction Centre of Excellence’ in County Durham

New College Durham’s Promotion House is being transformed into a new learning space by Esh Construction.

Esh Construction has commenced work to transform an existing factory unit into a Construction Centre of Excellence in Langley Moor.

Working in partnership with New College Durham, the £1.7 million project will see a change of use refurbishment delivered to create a specialised teaching facility for trade subjects. The building will be remodelled to create a space that includes teaching rooms, breakout areas, changing facilities and a practice area for teaching.

Grant Watson, Construction Manager for Esh’s commercial build division, said: “We pride ourselves on building strong working relationships with our clients and we are delighted to secure a second project with New College Durham. We look forward to delivering another high-quality teaching facility that will inspire young people up to adult learners to consider a career in the construction industry.”

Based on Littleburn Industrial Estate, a newly engineered joisted floor will create a mezzanine area to house mechanical plant. The existing building fabric will be stripped back to reveal the existing portal frame before being reclad with new Kingspan composite cladding while internally partitions will be created to form classrooms, breakout spaces and a workshop.

The Promotion House scheme follows Esh’s successful completion of New College Durham’s collaborative and integrated learning space, T.H.E Hub (Technical and Higher Education Hub) in September 2023. The £8.9 million state-of-the-art education facility is based at the college’s Framwellgate Moor site and features 23 new teaching spaces, including an immersive suite, early years foundation nursery and multiple sector-specific arenas.

New College Durham envisages the newly refurbished building to function as a Construction Centre of Excellence from September 2024. It will be used initially for the brick curriculum, but will also house building maintenance and painting and decorating lessons at a later date.

Andy Broadbent, Principal and CEO of New College Durham, commented: “We are delighted to be working on this exciting new project with Esh. We’re excited to be able to provide another new fantastic teaching space for our students, which will be available from September. It’s really important to us at NCD that the projects we undertake contribute significant social value, and working with Esh for this new initiative means not only do we provide the best learning environments possible but also provide additional value to the community at the same time”.

Esh’s social value team will support the project by delivering a raft of initiatives, including employability and careers sessions aimed to inspire young people to consider a career in construction, offering apprentice training weeks and creating employment opportunities for local residents.