Green Public Housing wins UK’s Top Architecture Prize

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the result of the most important architecture competition in the country.

Norwich public housing development Goldsmith Street, by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley, has been declared the 2019 Stirling Prize winner thanks to its energy-efficiency and superb design.Goldsmith Street consists of 105 homes commissioned by Norwich City Council that are arranged in seven blocks of terraces, echoing nearby Victorian-era homes.

Their black roof tiles nod to the city’s longstanding Dutch trading links and the clay bricks used are similar to those in the surrounding Victorian homes.Rows of two-story houses are flanked by three-story apartment buildings, each with their own front door, lobby space for prams and bikes, and a private balcony (alas, no photos are available of the interiors).

The rear gardens of the central terraces share a secure alleyway for children to meet and play, and a wide landscaped walkway for communal gatherings runs through the middle of the development. Parking has been pushed to the outer edges, in a bid to create a pedestrian-friendly space.