Transformation of former Royal London Hospital among 38 winners announced at a ceremony yesterday evening
AHMM鈥檚 transformation of the Royal London Hospital into the new Tower Hamlets town hall has been named as RIBA鈥檚 2025 London building of the year.
The scheme on Whitechapel Road has added a contemporary extension to the grade II-listed former hospital, parts of which date back to the 1750s.
It now functions as the headquarters of the council, which had decided to use the neoclassical building to bring its operations together into a single location after the hospital moved out in 2012 to an adjacent site.
RIBA described the scheme as a 鈥渢our de force of reinvention, combining a sensitivity to the existing building鈥檚 story with a sharpness of contemporary detailing鈥�.
The original and newbuild parts of the scheme are linked by a three-storey glazed atrium crossed by bridges, an approach which RIBA praised for illuminating and celebrating the brickwork on the former hospital鈥檚 south facade.
鈥淭he junction between the existing building and the new extension is materially rich and spatially dramatic, and each is enhanced by its proximity to the other,鈥� RIBA said.
RIBA also praised AHMM鈥檚 access strategy for using ramps to 鈥渟eamlessly鈥� connect mismatching internal levels and the public realm.
Tower Hamlets Town Hall was among 38 winners of RIBA鈥檚 regional awards for the capital handed out at a ceremony yesterday evening, which also included Purcell鈥檚 restoration of Elizabeth Tower and a social rent later living scheme by 2023 Stirling Prize winner Mae.
Hawkins Brown鈥檚 Negar Mihanyar scooped Project Architect of the Year for the practice鈥檚 transformation of the Central Foundation Boys School and its estate, while Peregrine Bryant Architects鈥� restoration of a grade I-listed building which was once home to Jimi Hendrix picked up the Conservation Award.
Brisco Loran and Arrant Industries鈥� Costa鈥檚 Barbers, a shop in Battersea reimagined as a home and an office, won Small Project of the Year.
Client of the Year was awarded to Archio鈥檚 Citizens House, a community-led development of 11 affordable homes in a former backyard garage site in Lewisham.
RIBA Regional Director of London, John Nahar, described the shortlist for this year鈥檚 winners as a 鈥渂reathtaking display of variety, creativity, and purpose鈥�.
鈥淭hese projects tackle some of the most pressing challenges we face today - from affordable housing and social isolation to the environment and the need for retrofit and reuse.
鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to see such a wide range of innovative and considered projects 鈥� a testament to the strength and ingenuity of architects in the region,鈥� he said.
Regional award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award, which will be announced on 10 July.
The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK鈥檚 building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.
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