Ninety firms in the running for the titles in 2026
The finalists for this year’s Architect of the Year Awards can now be revealed.
Ninety firms are in the running to claim a prize this year’s ceremony - which will take place in the autumn.
The awards are Building Design’s annual celebration of the very best work being produced by practices today. Uniquely, a majority of the trophies are awarded for a body of work, not just for an individual building.
There are new and updated categories for 2026, including Digital Design Innovation and Optimisation, Public Realm and Placemaking Architect of the Year, and Regenerative Design Architect of the Year, making a total of 21 awards to be won (view all category shortlists below).
The 2026 categories also include the Gold Award for “the best of the best” which is chosen from the winners of the project focussed categories, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
>> Explore stadout projects from the 2025 shortlist in our “What made this project…” series
This year’s winners will be revealed at an evening ceremony on 7 October co-locating with the Building the Future Conference at Convene Sancroft, St Pauls, London.
For full details of the awards and how to book your table click here.
Keep your eyes peeled for a deeper look at all the
2026 shortlist
BEST ARCHITECT EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
Broadway Malyan
Cousins & Cousins
Donald Insall Associates
GT3 Architects
JTP
MAP Architecture
Morris + Company
Mæ
Root And Erect
Stride Treglown
CREATIVE CONSERVATION ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
Burrell Foley Fischer
Clews Architects
David Kohn Architects
dFMK
Donald Insall Associates
Group Ginger
iKAD Architects
Sheppard Robson
Simpson & Brown
DIGITAL DESIGN INNOVATION AND OPTIMISATION AWARD
ECD Architects
HLM Architects
KPF
RCKa
EDUCATION ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR (NURSERY – 6TH), sponsored by Swisspearl
AHR
AtkinsRéalis
HLM Architects
IID Architects
Kennedy Woods
Office S&M Architects
Rivington Street Studio
HIGHER EDUCATION ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by benx
David Kohn Architects
HLM Architects
NBBJ
Sheppard Robson
HOUSING ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by wienerberger
Bell Philips
GRID Architects
Haworth Tompkins
HTA Design
Maccreanor Lavington
Metropolitan Workshop
Morris+Company
Mæ
Napier Clarke Architects
RCKa
INDIVIDUAL HOUSE ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
David Kohn Architects
Fieldwork Architects
McLean Quinlan
Napier Clarke Architects
Paper Igloo
Paul Archer Design
Rural Office
Selencky Parsons Architects
Ström Architects
William Tozer Associates
INDUSTRY/MANUFACTURING PARTNER OF THE YEAR
ACS Stainless Steel Fixings
Internorm Windows UK
Quickslide Windows & Doors
RCKa / Rollalong
INTERIOR ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
Cousins & Cousins
dMFK
Fieldwork Architects
Gibson Thornley Architects
GRID Interiors
John Robertson Architects
Office S&M Architects
SODA Studio
Stuart Forbes Associates
Tigg Coll
OFFICE ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
dFMK
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Gort Scott
Henley Halebrown Architects
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Sheppard Robson
Squire & Partners
Stiff + Trevillion
ONE-OFF MAJOR PROJECT ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR (OVER £100m), sponsored by RIBAIA
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, 1 Broadgate
Hugh Broughton Architects, Discovery Building
NBBJ, Life and Mind Building, University of Oxford
Oberlanders Architects, Craighouse
Stuart Forbes Associates, Fulham Pier
ONE-OFF SMALL PROJECT OF THE YEAR (UNDER £5m)
Goldstein Heather, West London House
Greenaway Architecture, Contemporary Extension to 1980’s House, Northamptonshire
Gresford Architects, The Old Orchard
O’DonnellBrown, Millport Town Hall
Paper House Project, Greenview House
Rural Office, Park & Dare Theatre
Stephen Marshall (Urbanism), Maggie’s Northampton
Studio Grieveson, St. George Villa
Thomas-McBrien Architects, New Wave House
TiggColl, Float House
PUBLIC BUILDING ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Suttons
Burrell Foley Fischer
FaulknerBrowns
Haworth Tompkins
Hugh Broughton Architects
INI Design Studio
John Puttick Associates
Morris+Company
RCKa
PUBLIC REALM AND PLACEMAKING ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
East Architecture Landscape Urban Design
HTA Design
Publica
Root And Erect
RADICAL RETROFIT AND REINVENTION ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
ArkleBoyce Architects
Dow Jones Architects
FaulknerBrowns
Gensler
Gibson Thornley Architects
Klas Hyllén Architecture
KPF
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Piercy&Company
shedkm
Squire & Partners
van Heyningen and Haward Architects
REGENERATIVE DESIGN ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
AHR
HLM Architects
HTA Design
Mccreanor Lavington
RETAIL AND LEISURE ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
Faulkner Browns
GT3 Architects
Holland Harvey
Populous
Stuart Forbes Associates
Studio Moren
YOUNG ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Steel for Life, The Future of Steel Construction
andre kong studio
Common Wonder
Kennedy Woods
Studio Colab
Studio Grieveson
Studio MUTT
Unknown Works
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