London leads RIBA National Awards 2026 with 17 winning projects
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced its National Awards for 2026, celebrating the UK's most outstanding architectural projects. This year, London claims 17 of the 32 winning schemes, spanning cultural venues, healthcare centres, housing developments, and public spaces.
Sadler's Wells East: a new dance icon in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Among the winners is Sadler's Wells East, designed by O'Donnell and Tuomey. Opened in February 2025, the venue features a 550-seat flexible auditorium, six dance studios, a restaurant, and a public performance space offering free classes. RIBA judges called it a 'hugely confident new arts facility with a bold architectural design'.
Natural History Museum's Urban Nature Project transforms gardens
The Natural History Museum received an award for its Urban Nature Project, a five-acre garden redevelopment. The space includes pavilions with a Nature Activity Centre, Garden Kitchen, science lab, and volunteer facilities. Judges said it 'elevates the museum's external grounds from backdrop to living exhibition'.
Harold Moody Health Centre praised for 'warmly human' design
The Harold Moody Health Centre in Southwark, designed by Morris+Company, was recognised for its human-centred approach. Other notable winners include the refurbished Arding & Hobbs department store in Clapham Junction, which reconciles 'heritage, sustainability and contemporary modern life', and Paddington Square, which improves daily experience for millions of rail users.
All winners now in contention for RIBA Stirling Prize 2026
All 32 National Award winners are eligible for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2026. The shortlist will be announced on July 16, with the winner revealed in October. Following the Elizabeth line's win in 2024 and Appleby Blue Almshouse in 2025, a London project could take the prize for the third consecutive year.
Complete list of London winners from RIBA National Awards 2026
- Arding & Hobbs by Stiff+Trevillion, 10 St John's Rd, SW11 1PN
- Canada Water Plot K1 by Morris+Company with White Ink, 7 Roberts Close, SE16 7FR
- Harold Moody Health Centre by Morris+Company, 60 Thurlow Street, SE17 2GN
- Highbury House and Studio by Maich Swift Architects, 5 Highbury Crescent, N5 1RN
- Lion Green Road by Mary Duggan Architects with RUFF Architects, 16 Lion Green Road, CR5 2NL
- Norton Folgate by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Stanton Williams, Morris + Co, DSDHA and East, 15 Norton Folgate, E1 6DB
- Paddington Square by Renzo Piano Building Workshop with Adamson Associates, 1 Paddington Square, W2 1DL
- Plashet Road by Newham, Levitt Bernstein, 52E Plashet Rd, E13 0RQ
- Sadler's Wells East by O'Donnell + Tuomey, 101 Carpenters Road, E20 2AR
- Smart's Place by David Kohn Architects, 8 Smart's Place, Covent Garden, WC2B 5LW
- Space House by Squire and Partners, Atelier Ten, Pell Frischmann, Donald Insall Associates, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Gardiner and Theobald, and BAM, One Kemble Street, WC2B 4AN
- The Brentford Project - Phase 1 by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Howells, and Maccreanor Lavington, 116 High Street, Brentford, TW8 8EW
- The Featherstone Building by Morris+Company, 66 City Road, EC1Y 2AL
- The Tannery by Coffey Architects, 1 New Tannery Way, SE1 5WS
- UCL East by Marshgate, Stanton Williams, 7 Sidings Street, E20 2AE
- UCL One Pool Street by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, 1 Pool Street, E20 2AF
- Urban Nature Project by Natural History Museum, Feilden Fowles, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 5BD
