Elizabeth Line and National Portrait Gallery up for top architecture prize

The Elizabeth Line and National Portrait Gallery are among the projects up for a top architecture prize awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba).

Six structures are in the running for the UK’s leading architecture award, the Riba Stirling Prize 2024, including the London rail service which can take passengers all the way from Berkshire to Essex.

Design team Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation and Atkins are nominated for their work on the major infrastructure project, which officially opened in 2022, following a number of setbacks and construction delays, in part due to difficulties installing complex signalling systems.

The jury who selected the shortlist said “the passenger experience feels significantly different from other tube lines” and added that the carriages are “decluttered and calm”.

Elsewhere, Jamie Fobert Architects and Purcell are nominated for their work on the National Portrait Gallery, which was re-opened by the Princess of Wales in June 2023 following its three-year £41.3 million refurbishment.

Award-winning British artist Dame Tracey Emin created 45 hand-drawn female portraits that were cast in bronze as artwork for the gallery’s new entrance doors.

The jury said the project “reaffirms the Gallery’s position as a cultural landmark in the heart of London, poised to continue its legacy of storytelling and connection with the public”.

Among the other nominees is Allies and Morrison and Porphyrios Associates for the King’s Cross Masterplan.

The regeneration has seen the creation of new streets, squares, offices, schools, university facilities and accommodation sit alongside restored historic structures.

The architects have also re-opened Regent’s Canal to the public and created an “urban beach”.

This summer there is a free-to-enter Team GB fanzone at Lewis Cubitt Square, where the public can watch the Paris Olympics on a big screen.

The jury said the project is “a global exemplar in how to make a community of places which supports human activity, maintains an urban identity, and is supple enough to accommodate inevitable change”.

Elsewhere, London-based architectural practice Al-Jawad Pike is nominated for Chowdhury Walk, which has been described as “an exemplary blueprint for social housing”.

The council housing project in Hackney, which includes a public thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists, has been built on a plot previously occupied by garages and ad-hoc parking.

The jury said it shortlisted the 11-home site as it “is an elegant piece of architectural and urban design, providing new homes that are successfully knit into their context – satisfying both resident and passer-by”.

Architectural practice Mikhail Riches has been nominated for revitalising the Park Hill Phase 2 development in Sheffield.

The structure, which sits on a hillside overlooking Sheffield city centre, has been chosen by the jury as they were “particularly impressed by how the architects have overcome the many challenges of the 1950s structure and delivering a project during the Covid-19 pandemic”.

Wraxall Yard is another project, that sits outside of London, in the running to win.

Clementine Blakemore Architects has been shortlisted for converting a dilapidated Dorset dairy farm into an accessible holiday accommodation which includes public spaces aimed at boosting engagement with wildlife and farming.

There is also a focus on providing accessible features for wheelchair users and other disabled guests.

The jury selected the project as they said it “shows an extraordinary level of ambition and commitment”.

Riba president Muyiwa Oki said: “These projects demonstrate the ingenuity and diversity of architecture today.

“From major national infrastructure to brave and brilliant council-led housing, these varied schemes are united in making sensitive contributions to elevating everyday life.

“Whether raising the bar for social housing, upgrading city transportation or repurposing dilapidated buildings to create heritage-conscious urban and rural developments, each scheme thoughtfully adapts elements of our existing built environment.

“At a time when the need to preserve our planet’s resources is greater than ever, these projects are to be commended for placing regeneration and restoration front and centre, transforming well and lesser-known landmarks to create highly sustainable places for future generations.

“This is purposeful yet unassuming architecture – architecture that brings joy to people’s lives and strengthens the fabric of our society.”

The prize is given to the architect of the building thought to be the most significant of the year and is judged on a range of criteria including design vision, innovation and originality.

The winner of the 2024 Riba Stirling Prize will be announced live at London’s Roundhouse on October 16.

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