Architecture

Small projects, big talent: RIBA's Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist

Small projects, big talent: RIBA's Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
London's Belvue School is one of the seven projects that feature in this year's RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
London's Belvue School is one of the seven projects that feature in this year's RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
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Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension in London is an outstanding building with an inspiring history
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Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension in London is an outstanding building with an inspiring history
Belvue School is a secondary school for children with severe learning difficulties
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Belvue School is a secondary school for children with severe learning difficulties
London's Belvue School is one of the seven projects that feature in this year's RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
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London's Belvue School is one of the seven projects that feature in this year's RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
Belvue School's head raised the money to commission Studio Weave to design a new building of exposed timber frame, and birch plywood
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Belvue School's head raised the money to commission Studio Weave to design a new building of exposed timber frame, and birch plywood
Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension was completed in 2017
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Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension was completed in 2017
The Bethnal Green Memorial was designed by Arboreal Architecture
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The Bethnal Green Memorial was designed by Arboreal Architecture
The Bethnal Green Memorial serves as a reminder of one of the worst civilian disasters in modern British history
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The Bethnal Green Memorial serves as a reminder of one of the worst civilian disasters in modern British history
The Bethnal Green Memorial commemorates the deaths of 173 people during WWII
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The Bethnal Green Memorial commemorates the deaths of 173 people during WWII
The Bethnal Green Memorial was completed in 2017
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The Bethnal Green Memorial was completed in 2017
The Bethnal Green Memorial was designed by Arboreal Architecture
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The Bethnal Green Memorial was designed by Arboreal Architecture
Dartmouth Park House was designed by AY Architects
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Dartmouth Park House was designed by AY Architects
Dartmouth Park House is located in London
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Dartmouth Park House is located in London
Dartmouth Park House began as a modest conversion of what RIBA describes as "an over-developed Victorian terraced house," but ended up becoming an ambitious redevelopment of the entire building
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Dartmouth Park House began as a modest conversion of what RIBA describes as "an over-developed Victorian terraced house," but ended up becoming an ambitious redevelopment of the entire building
Dartmouth Park House's interior is a light-filled and modern reinvention of a Victorian house
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Dartmouth Park House's interior is a light-filled and modern reinvention of a Victorian house
Dartmouth Park House's highlights include a timber-floored central courtyard with a tree planted for shade and hardwood screens shipped from Nicaragua
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Dartmouth Park House's highlights include a timber-floored central courtyard with a tree planted for shade and hardwood screens shipped from Nicaragua
Blee Halligan was commissioned to extend a tired old brick barn into a bed and breakfast. The result is the aptly-named Five Acre Barn
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Blee Halligan was commissioned to extend a tired old brick barn into a bed and breakfast. The result is the aptly-named Five Acre Barn
Five Acre Barn is defined by its undulating roofline that's wrapped in cedar shingles
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Five Acre Barn is defined by its undulating roofline that's wrapped in cedar shingles
Five Acre Barn serves as bed and breakfast accommodation for up to five visitors in Suffolk
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Five Acre Barn serves as bed and breakfast accommodation for up to five visitors in Suffolk
Five Acre Barn is nestled among a large plot of land measuring – you guessed it – 5 acres (2 hectares)
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Five Acre Barn is nestled among a large plot of land measuring – you guessed it – 5 acres (2 hectares)
Inside one of the rooms in Five Acre Barn
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Inside one of the rooms in Five Acre Barn
Old Shed New House is located in Yorkshire
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Old Shed New House is located in Yorkshire
Old Shed New House was designed by Architects Tonkin Liu
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Old Shed New House was designed by Architects Tonkin Liu
Old Shed New House involved turning an agricultural shed into a remarkable property containing a residence, private library, and art gallery
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Old Shed New House involved turning an agricultural shed into a remarkable property containing a residence, private library, and art gallery
Old Shed New House has large amounts of insulation installed, as well as high levels of air tightness, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems – making the project impressively energy-efficient
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Old Shed New House has large amounts of insulation installed, as well as high levels of air tightness, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems – making the project impressively energy-efficient
Old Shed New House's agricultural looks belie the comfort inside the home
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Old Shed New House's agricultural looks belie the comfort inside the home
31/44 Architects used brick and precast concrete patterns to ensure its new Red House didn't disturb the overall character of an existing street
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31/44 Architects used brick and precast concrete patterns to ensure its new Red House didn't disturb the overall character of an existing street
Red House is located in London
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Red House is located in London
Red House matches the size and character of the surrounding dwellings to fit in better with the character of the street
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Red House matches the size and character of the surrounding dwellings to fit in better with the character of the street
Red House's interior is contemporary and spread over three floors
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Red House's interior is contemporary and spread over three floors
Red House was completed in 2017
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Red House was completed in 2017
White Heather House involved the redevelopment of homes for vulnerable homeless women who work in the red-light district of Southend
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White Heather House involved the redevelopment of homes for vulnerable homeless women who work in the red-light district of Southend
SKArchitects head Steve Kearney went as far as to form his own construction company in order to overcome early setbacks and delays to deliver the project to a tight budget and timescale
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SKArchitects head Steve Kearney went as far as to form his own construction company in order to overcome early setbacks and delays to deliver the project to a tight budget and timescale
White Heather House is a colorful, private and secure environment for the women to live in
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White Heather House is a colorful, private and secure environment for the women to live in
White Heather House is located in Southend
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White Heather House is located in Southend
White Heather House was completed in 2017
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White Heather House was completed in 2017
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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced seven projects shortlisted for 2018's Stephen Lawrence Prize. Consisting of relatively inexpensive works built for under £1 million (roughly US$1.3 million) by fresh architectural talent, this year's selection includes a stunning wooden school extension, a large farm shed turned into a luxury home, and a memorial to one of Britain's worst modern civilian disasters.

The Stephen Lawrence Prize was created in honor of a black British teenager of the same name who was aspiring to become an architect before he was murdered in a racist attack in 1993.

Of course, like the AIA's Small Project Awards, you could argue that £1 million isn't really that small a budget, but it's all relative – at least in a country in which a 91-inch house can cost over a million pounds. It's also one of the more interesting British prizes and tends to highlight small projects that might otherwise be overlooked in the busy awards season.

All of the seven projects shortlisted are based in England, with six in the south, primarily in London, and just one hailing from up north in Yorkshire. The winner will be announced later this year.

Belvue School Woodland Classrooms

Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension in London is an outstanding building with an inspiring history
Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension in London is an outstanding building with an inspiring history

As we reported in our previous coverage, Belvue School's Woodland Classrooms extension in London is an outstanding building with an inspiring story. The school for children with severe learning difficulties required more space and was due to be allocated a couple of portable cabins. The head of the school decided this wasn't good enough for her kids and raised the money herself to commission Studio Weave to design this beautiful new building of exposed timber frame and birch plywood.

Bethnal Green Memorial

The Bethnal Green Memorial serves as a reminder of one of the worst civilian disasters in modern British history
The Bethnal Green Memorial serves as a reminder of one of the worst civilian disasters in modern British history

The Bethnal Green Memorial, by Arboreal Architecture, serves as a reminder of one of the worst civilian disasters in modern British history. What is now the south east access stair to the Bethnal Green Underground station in London was used as an air raid shelter in WWII. During an air raid, 173 people died as they rushed to safety. The work inverts the negative space within the stairwell where the crush occurred and is made from sustainably-sourced teak. When weather allows, holes in the roof send 173 shafts of sunlight, one for every death, toward the stairwell.

Dartmouth Park House

Dartmouth Park House was designed by AY Architects
Dartmouth Park House was designed by AY Architects

London's Dartmouth Park House, by AY Architects, began as a modest conversion of what RIBA describes as "an over-developed Victorian terraced house," but ended up becoming an ambitious redevelopment of the entire building. Its modest street-facing facade conceals a light-filled and modern interior that includes a timber-floored central courtyard with a tree fern planted for shade.

Five Acre Barn

Five Acre Barn is defined by its undulating roofline that's wrapped in cedar shingles
Five Acre Barn is defined by its undulating roofline that's wrapped in cedar shingles

Blee Halligan was commissioned to extend a tired old brick barn into a bed and breakfast, and came up with this very attractive new building with an undulating roofline wrapped in cedar shingles. Five Acre Barn provides comfortable accommodation for up to five visitors in Suffolk and takes its place extremely well within a mature garden on a plot of land measuring – you guessed it – 5 acres (2 hectares).

Old Shed New House

Old Shed New House's agricultural looks belie the comfort inside the home
Old Shed New House's agricultural looks belie the comfort inside the home

Previously highlighted in our coverage of RIBA's House of the Year longlist, Old Shed New House, by Architects Tonkin Liu, involved turning an agricultural shed in Yorkshire into a luxury property containing a residence, private library, and art gallery, all while retaining its agricultural looks. It has large amounts of insulation installed, as well as high levels of air tightness, mechanical ventilation, and heat recovery systems – making it impressively energy-efficient to run.

Red House

Red House is located in London
Red House is located in London

31/44 Architects used brick and precast concrete patterns to ensure its contemporary Red House didn't stand out too much among the surrounding houses and ruin the overall character of an existing London street. The interior, however, is a more radical departure from your typical British terrace and provides a modern, light-filled, and space-maximizing three story home.

White Heather House

White Heather House is a colorful, private and secure environment for the women to live in
White Heather House is a colorful, private and secure environment for the women to live in

White Heather House involved the redevelopment of homes for vulnerable homeless women who work in the red-light district of Southend. SKArchitects head Steve Kearney went so far as to form his own construction company to overcome early setbacks and delays in order to deliver the project to a tight budget and timescale. The result is a colorful, private and secure environment for the women to live in.

Source: RIBA

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