Welcome to the RIBA Regional Awards 2023, showcasing all 138 projects that have received an award across the regions and nations. As usual, they offer a huge variety, representing the best of British architecture.
Alongside the winners is our exclusive analysis, which details total number, total metres squared, total cost, average project cost per meter squared and number of projects designed by practices with offices in the region, by region. Sky-rocketing with 18 awarded projects is North London, followed by West London with 13. Wales has the fewest with four, then Northern Ireland and East Midlands each with five. West London has the highest overall spend; its £471.2 million includes Lifschutz Davidson Sandiland’s £171.5 million, decade-long Hanover Square, all bound up with the Elizabeth Line.
This is the first year that average project cost per m² has topped £2000/m². Last year the North East achieved £1,508/m², but the lowest this time is Northern Ireland’s £2,068/m², reflecting rising prices and inflation over the past three years – although all projects were completed before 2022.
More widely, the smallest project is Bromley’s 8m² Swing Bridge by Tonkin Liu. The largest is PRP’s 115,075m² Chobham Manor in Newham. Outside London, Manchester and Oxford are the cities with the most awards (four). Oxfordshire boasts most awards by county on five; Somerset has four – two in Bruton alone. The highest number outside London goes to the South West, with 12, so if you are setting up outside the capital, there might be a good bet; eight were designed by firms with studios in the region too. Northern Ireland’s projects were all designed by practices with offices in the region.
Which firm won the most awards? FCBStudios with a whopping five – two in the South West, and four in education. Hawkins\Brown follows with three and 15 firms have two. There are a total of 46 private houses.