Shortlisted projects include a housing scheme for homeless people and a transformed dairy farm for people with disabilities
RIBA has named six projects shortlisted for this year’s Stephen Lawrence prize, which recognises work by architects who are early in their careers.
The annual prize was established in 1998 in memory of Stephen Lawrence, a teenager and aspiring architect who was the victim of a fatal racist attack in 1993.
Among the nominees is an accessible private home designed by Knox Bhavan associate Fergus Knox, son of practice founder Simon Knox.
The shortlist also includes a 50-room housing scheme for homeless people by Danielle Simpson of SK Architects and Wraxall Yard, a Dorset dairy farm which has been transformed by Clementine Blakemore into accommodation and community space for people with disabilities.
Two projects, Chowdhury Walk, an infill housing scheme by Filippo Antonucci of Al-Jawad Pike, and Clementine Blakemore’s Wraxall Yard, have also been nominated for this year’s Stirling Prize.
RIBA said the 2024 prize finalists share themes of refuge, ambition and restoration, and offer “inspiring examples of early career architects placing social value and community at the heart of their work”.
The institute’s president Muyiwa Oki added: “It’s inspiring to see that each shortlisted project places social value and community at its core.
“From retrofits that radically transform accessibility to a refuge for homeless people, each project is a testament to a thoughtful and engaged cohort of architects and I’m delighted to see them taking the lead as true agents of change.”
The chair of the Stephen Lawrence Prize 2024 jury was managing trustee of the Marco Goldschmied Foundation, Matthew Goldschmied.
The jury also included baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence, architect and 2023 winner Conrad Koslowsky, and student mentee and Central St Martins student, Sanjana Narayanan.
The shortlist is selected from winners of the RIBA Regional Awards 2024 and nominees are typically people who have qualified within five years prior to the project’s completion date.
The winner will be announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony on Wednesday 16 October 2024 at The Roundhouse in London.
The six shortlisted projects are:
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Bluebird by SKArchitects (Project Architect: Danielle Simpson). A housing scheme providing joy, dignity, and community. 50 rooms for homeless people, together with communal facilities, offer a step towards independent living.
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Chowdhury Walk by Al-Jawad Pike (Project Architect: Filippo Antonucci). A sculptural infill development heralding the beginnings of an ambitious programme of new generation council housing by Hackney Council.
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The Little Big House by [http://knox%20bhavan/]Knox Bhavan (Project Architect: Fergus Knox). An accessible private oasis delightfully balancing the need for practical storage of medical equipment and live-in care with a warm, homely character.
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Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Arts Centre café by Mark Wray Architects (Project Architect: Sebastian Walker), Sanderson Sculptures, and Fold Engineering. A sensitive intervention of a marine-inspired café provides a striking and inspired contrast to the adjacent listed structure.
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Southwark House by VATRAA (Project Architect: Anamaria Pircu). A home of distinct character and warmth, this transformed 76 square metre former council house offers lessons in environmental and spatial reinvention.
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Wraxall Yard by Clementine Blakemore Architects (Project Architect: Clementine Blakemore). A breath of fresh air in the field of accommodation for people with disabilities. This disused Dorset dairy farm has been transformed into a community space, accommodation, and educational smallholding.
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