Scheme combines reused stone ground level with metal-clad upper storey
A two-bedroom home in Derbyshire designed by Chiles Evans + Care Architects has been named as RIBA’s Building of the Year 2026.
Amber Cottage combined existing stone blocks from a derelict barn with a metal-clad upper storey to create a contemporary home which remained senstivie to its small village setting.
Judges praised the scheme as a “quietly confident piece of architecture” that “demonstrates how careful design can elevate the ordinary and enrich the character of a place”.
The scheme’s client Peter Hill was also handed Client of the Year.
Other winners announced at a ceremony on Friday evening included Brisco Loran’s Old Rectory, which won Small Project of the Year, and Mole Architects’ Courtyard House, which won the Sustainability Award.
Jonathan Hendry of Jonathan Hendy Architects was named Project Architect of the Year for his scheme Garden House, a timber-lined new-build home in the Lincolnshire village of Walesby.
RIBA East Midlands jury chair Patrick Richard, principal director at Stanton Williams, said the winning projects all ”reflect a shared ambition between architects and clients to create innovative architecture that recognises and responds to the distinct character of its context”.
”Each seeks not only to serve its occupants, but also to give something back—demonstrating how thoughtful design can elevate the everyday and enrich its surroundings,” Richard said.
”While the projects vary in scale and budget, they are united by a commitment to sustainability and to the wellbeing of their users, neighbours, and wider communities.
”They range from the careful reconstruction of a derelict barn into a modest cottage that makes a meaningful contribution to the repair of the village fabric, to private homes that enhance the character of their streets, and a landmark university building that supports the creative economy as an incubator for the next generation of digital talent.
“Together, they demonstrate the richness and ingenuity of architecture across the East Midlands.”
RIBA East Midlands Award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, which will be announced on 9 July.
The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.
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