Architecture

Small but perfectly formed: RIBA's Stephen Lawrence shortlist revealed

Small but perfectly formed: RIBA's Stephen Lawrence shortlist revealed
The Parchment Works was designed by Will Gamble Architects and is located in the East Midlands. The project is one of seven to be highlighted in the 2022 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
The Parchment Works was designed by Will Gamble Architects and is located in the East Midlands. The project is one of seven to be highlighted in the 2022 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
View 14 Images
Hackney School of Food was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London
1/14
Hackney School of Food was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London
Hackney School of Food transformed a derelict school caretaker's house and garage into a community space for local children to learn how to grow and cook food
2/14
Hackney School of Food transformed a derelict school caretaker's house and garage into a community space for local children to learn how to grow and cook food
Leeds Footbridge was designed by Gagarin Studio and is located in Yorkshire
3/14
Leeds Footbridge was designed by Gagarin Studio and is located in Yorkshire
Leeds Footbridge is a sculptural footbridge made from recyclable materials that also serves as a transfer structure for the area's heating network
4/14
Leeds Footbridge is a sculptural footbridge made from recyclable materials that also serves as a transfer structure for the area's heating network
Leyton House was designed by McMahon Architecture and is located in London
5/14
Leyton House was designed by McMahon Architecture and is located in London
Leyton House has a compact interior that's light-filled and leaves the brickwork exposed
6/14
Leyton House has a compact interior that's light-filled and leaves the brickwork exposed
Peveril Gardens and Studios was designed by Sanchez Benton Architects and is located in London
7/14
Peveril Gardens and Studios was designed by Sanchez Benton Architects and is located in London
Peveril Gardens and Studios involved turning disused garages into a public walled garden and studios that support the local arts community
8/14
Peveril Gardens and Studios involved turning disused garages into a public walled garden and studios that support the local arts community
Ravine House was designed by Chiles Evans + Care Architects and is located in the East Midlands
9/14
Ravine House was designed by Chiles Evans + Care Architects and is located in the East Midlands
Ravine House involved the painstaking restoration of a striking 1960s modernist house, giving it an energy efficient upgrade that includes a geothermal heating system
10/14
Ravine House involved the painstaking restoration of a striking 1960s modernist house, giving it an energy efficient upgrade that includes a geothermal heating system
Surbiton Springs was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London
11/14
Surbiton Springs was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London
Surbiton Springs takes the form of a contemporary A-Framed detached suburban house that is defined by its attractive facade, while its interior is open and light-filled
12/14
Surbiton Springs takes the form of a contemporary A-Framed detached suburban house that is defined by its attractive facade, while its interior is open and light-filled
The Parchment Works was designed by Will Gamble Architects and is located in the East Midlands. The project is one of seven to be highlighted in the 2022 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
13/14
The Parchment Works was designed by Will Gamble Architects and is located in the East Midlands. The project is one of seven to be highlighted in the 2022 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist
The Parchment Works extended a Victorian-era house into the ruins of a historic parchment factory
14/14
The Parchment Works extended a Victorian-era house into the ruins of a historic parchment factory
View gallery - 14 images

Following the unveiling of the Stirling Prize finalists, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has now announced the 2022 Stephen Lawrence Prize shortlist. Consisting of seven small-scale UK projects built to a relatively modest budget, highlights include an impressive extension built into some ruins and an energy efficient renovation of a modernist 1960s home.

Created in honor of a black British teenager who was studying to become an architect but was killed in a racist attack, the Stephen Lawrence Prize aims to encourage fresh new architectural talent and highlight projects created for a relatively small budget of under £1 million (roughly US$1.2 million). The overall winner will be announced on October 13. Last year's top prize went to the superb water tower home by Tonkin Liu Architects.

"I am honored to chair the Stephen Lawrence Prize jury in place of my father, Marco Goldschmied, who was sadly unable to participate this year, and has since passed away," said Matthew Goldschmied. "As a jury, we were seriously encouraged by the climate-conscious ethos that underpins so many of these small projects. From those that prioritize the re-use and adaptation of existing buildings and historic structures, to those that experiment with materials and technologies to meet low-carbon ambitions. We were also delighted to select three projects that focus so heavily on fostering community: projects that create vibrant spaces and connections for both new and established communities and demonstrate the power of architecture to lift spirits and enhance lives."

Hackney School of Food transformed a derelict school caretaker's house and garage into a community space for local children to learn how to grow and cook food
Hackney School of Food transformed a derelict school caretaker's house and garage into a community space for local children to learn how to grow and cook food

London's Hackney School of Food, by Surman Weston, involved a charity and a federation of schools and turned a derelict old school caretaker's house into a communal learning kitchen for the area. The home and its garage now provides an inspiring place to teach children how to grow, cook, and eat food healthily.

Leeds Footbridge is a sculptural footbridge made from recyclable materials that also serves as a transfer structure for the area's heating network
Leeds Footbridge is a sculptural footbridge made from recyclable materials that also serves as a transfer structure for the area's heating network

Leeds Footbridge, by Gagarin Studio with DP Squared, straddles the city's River Aire, and serves dual purposes: it functions as an eye-catching pedestrian bridge and also integrates parts of the district heating network and other services that span the river. Corten steel provides a maintenance-free structure that's recyclable and its decorative balustrades were cut using lasers.

The Parchment Works extended a Victorian-era house into the ruins of a historic parchment factory
The Parchment Works extended a Victorian-era house into the ruins of a historic parchment factory

The Parchment Works, by Will Gamble Architects, is a stunning house extension in Northamptonshire. The project adds some living space to an architecturally important Victorian-era family home by incorporating the ruined walls of an adjacent historic parchment factory on the site.

Ravine House involved the painstaking restoration of a striking 1960s modernist house, giving it an energy efficient upgrade that includes a geothermal heating system
Ravine House involved the painstaking restoration of a striking 1960s modernist house, giving it an energy efficient upgrade that includes a geothermal heating system

Ravine House, by Chiles Evans + Care Architects, is located in the East Midlands, and involved the restoration and extension of an extraordinary home originally built in 1967. The Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired modernist residence has been painstakingly upgraded with a geothermal borehole that's used for energy efficient heating and cooling, while an airtight exterior helps it maintain a comfortable temperature and solar panels reduce its grid-based electricity consumption.

Surbiton Springs was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London
Surbiton Springs was designed by Surman Weston and is located in London

Surbiton Springs, by Surman Weston, is situated in London, and creates a new-build, two-story detached home on a suburban street. Defined by an eye-catching exterior, it blends traditional Tudor and industrial stylistic choices and has an open and light-filled interior layout designed for flexibility.

Leyton House has a compact interior that's light-filled and leaves the brickwork exposed
Leyton House has a compact interior that's light-filled and leaves the brickwork exposed

Squeezed into a tight plot between 1960s terraced houses, McMahon Architecture's Leyton House is a new home that overcame significant planning challenges. Its interior is light-filled and leaves the brickwork exposed, which is an inspired choice. It has also been carefully designed to maximize all available space and is wired ready for solar panels and a ground source heat pump to be installed at a later date, when the budget allows.

Peveril Gardens and Studios involved turning disused garages into a public walled garden and studios that support the local arts community
Peveril Gardens and Studios involved turning disused garages into a public walled garden and studios that support the local arts community

Sanchez Benton Architects, with Gabriel Kuri and Nigel Dunnett, created the Peveril Gardens and Studios following a competition focused on the southern end of Tower Bridge Road in London. The team transformed a disused garage with a raised podium into a public walled garden and ground-level artist studios, while working to a tight budget.

Source: RIBA

View gallery - 14 images
1 comment
1 comment
Wombat56
So one million pounds or one point two million US dollars or one point seven three million Australian dollars is now considered a modest budget? It would be interesting to know what the finalists' actual costs were.