Park Hill phase two wins RIBA national award
The Sheffield estate’s ongoing redevelopment “demonstrates that our Brutalist heritage can play a role in the changing needs of urban living” said the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Mikhail Riches, which is also the architect for the final phase of the estate’s overhaul now submitted for planning, was the designer for the residential-led project, one of 26 national winners.
The awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognise the UK’s best new architecture and provide insight into the country’s design and social trends.
All national winners are considered for the Stirling Prize, the shortlist for which will be announced on 31 July.
Urban Splash is the developer for Park Hill, having taken on the redevelopment of the listed estate, standing over Sheffield station, around 20 years ago.
The 2024 RIBA Awards group chair Simon Henley said: “We’re delighted to award these 26 projects across the UK and recognise their exceptional quality and the hard work of teams behind them.
“From projects engaged with technology, community, visual arts to hands-on making, these National Winners reflect the breadth of contemporary practice and how architecture itself is an inclusive medium that addresses many of society’s challenges.”
Other 2024 winners include the masterplanning of Kings Cross in London, the new Elizabeth Line – with the Paddington station separately recognised – and phase two of Battersea Power Station’s reinvention. The new Tower & Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland, County Durham was another Northern winner.
Commenting on the winning projects, RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said: “The sheer breadth of work is quite astounding, with large infrastructure schemes sitting alongside high-quality detailed smaller projects. This is a testament to the standard of architecture in the UK right now, as we maintain a sense of ambition and consider how design must evolve to meet future needs.”
Five Yorkshire projects won regional awards in May, from a shortlist of seven projects for the year.
Park Hill overlooks Sheffield station. Credit: Tim Crocker
