Appleby Blue has been crowned the winner of the Stirling Prize 2025, as part of a significant triple victory.

Widely celebrated for redefining senior living, the older persons’ social housing initiative features spacious homes and comfortable corridors designed for socialising, all around a central water feature, creating the building's unique "sense of a woodland oasis.". RIBA specifically highlighted the project's success in creating an aspirational living environment that stands “in stark contrast to the institutional atmosphere often associated with older people's housing.”

Beyond the Stirling Prize, Appleby Blue also secured both the Neave Brown Award for Housing and the Client of the Year award. The Neave Brown Award, which recognises the UK’s best new affordable housing, honoured Appleby Blue for exemplifying the belief that housing is a civic and social project—one that provides secure social-rent homes while fostering a framework for living well in later life.

Speaking about the project's underlying ethos, Martyn Craddock, Chief Executive of United St Saviour’s Charity, said:

“We are honoured to receive the RIBA Client of the Year Award for Appleby Blue Almshouse... The building’s design enables joyful living in the heart of the city, supports our team to deliver high-quality services, and fosters belonging across generations through the shared community centre and kitchen. This award reflects our shared vision, close collaboration with the architects, and our long-term commitment to the design principles that shaped every decision. We hope Appleby Blue inspires others to reimagine what growing older in our cities can look like — and to create more places like it across the country.”

This marks the first Stirling Prize win for our practice, following four previous shortlists—a true fifth time lucky—moment. We are immensely proud to have been part of the team, helping to shape the project's sustainable, efficient, and comfortable environment.

[Click here to find out more about our work on the project.]