The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has revealed the winners of the RIBA London Award 2019, which consists of 47 examples of the UK capital's finest new architecture, including compact houses, light-filled schools and sympathetic restoration projects.
The 47 winners, which is down from last year's 61, are now in the running for RIBA's National Awards, which will be announced on June 27.
Heatherwick Studio's Coal Drops Yard (pictured below) is a clear standout. The high-profile firm turned two dilapidated Victorian-era coal storage buildings into a large new shopping center crowned by a stunning roof structure. The curved roof is made from a steel framework and features 80,000 slate tiles from the same quarry that was used when constructing the original buildings over 150 years ago.
House in a Garden (below) is also noteworthy thanks to its interesting use of a cramped and awkward plot that's overshadowed by larger properties on three sides. It replaces a dilapidated 1960s bungalow with a contemporary home defined by a remarkable funnel-shaped copper-lined roof. The roof is topped by glazing and ensures ample natural light inside.
"Each year RIBA London Awards celebrate a diverse and eclectic range of project types and scales and celebrate the very best new buildings across the Capital," says RIBA London Director, Dian Small. "2019 winning projects range from a one-bedroom private house which spans the length of two private garages to one of the busiest train stations in the country. They also include several significant public sector housing projects, beautifully-designed school extensions, state of the art office buildings and exquisite conservation projects, which breathe new life into some of London's greatest treasures."
Head to the gallery to check out all of the 47 buildings that make up the RIBA London Award 2019.
Source: RIBA
Then there are the unfinished looks. Unpretty open beams (as opposed to timberframing such as the beautiful old Westminster Abbey) just screaming for a ceiling to be covering them. How about the Buckingham Green building with one foot long pieces of REBAR on the outside? The Eleanor Palmer science lab beams are going to be covered in ick before you know it. Here East, Boutique, Lambda, Pocket House. Ye Gods, people! Scrub your walls and paint your woodwork, please. Were I the remodeler, I'd ask to do it for the neighbors so my work would look better. That's just tacky.
Kenwood Lee house is the lone standout in the whole shebang, in new work.
McDesign, yeah, 168 grrr.
I agree with both ljaques and McDesign above.
Generally, Brits can have a quirkiness in their taste of masonry and brickwork. Oftentimes it works (for them) and I get it. The overall feeling I have of these latest designs is they're unimpressive and sterile. Do people really live and work in these picture-perfect places? Architects are competing with each other to come up with something that will create a standout for their careers, but how many people will see the House in a Garden (one of the few i like) if it's in a tight spot at the rear, surrounded/abutted by taller buildings? That's the high cost of real estate in London today. Every nook and cranny gets used. London has become a strange blend of architectural styles, but like in all art, that's just my personal opinion.