2022’s Stirling Prize winner recognised for his ’resounding impact spanning architectural practice, thinking, writing and education’
Niall McLaughlin has been named as the recipient of RIBA’s 2026 Royal Gold Medal for architecture.
The medal, awarded on behalf on King Charles III, has been awarded to the Stirling Prize-winning architect in recognition of his “resounding impact spanning architectural practice, thinking, writing and education”.
RIBA said McLaughlin’s work has displayed a “remarkable consistency” over his 30 years in practice and an enduring commitment to the quality of space, regardless of project scale or budget.
His well-known projects include the Bexhill bandstand, the Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Dublin, Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxford and the New LIbrary Magdalene College in Cambridge, which went on to win the 2022 Stirling Prize.
In its citation, RIBA’s 2026 honours committee said: Níall has a robust reputation for thoughtful, innovative and well-crafted architecture. His rich enjoyment of the process of architecture has made him one of the most respected yet idiosyncratic architectural practitioners in the UK.
It added that McLaughlin’s work “not only enriches the architectural profession but also addresses its evolving challenges, making him a pivotal figure in contemporary architecture.”
The jury was chaired by RIBA president Chris WIlliamson and included 2025 Royal Gold Medal winner Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA, Anna Liu of Tonkin Liu, Architecture Today editor Isabel Allen, and Leicester School of Architecture lecturer Victoria Farrow.
Responding to the award, McLaughlin said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive the 2026 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture.
“My team and I view architecture as a continuity of practice across generations. We are grateful to our teachers, who passed on the spirit, and our students, who continually question and transform it. As a small studio, we have grown and learned together.
He added: Through practice, we have learned that architecture is not the production of singular objects, but an ongoing performance of development, alteration, and reinvention through lived experience.
“At a time of accelerating technological change in design and construction, we continue to insist on the human rituals and material practices at the heart of our discipline. Building is an act, not an object. Architecture lies in its making and the way that it shapes learning, culture, and communal life.
Williamson said: “Always one to credit and uplift those around him, it is fitting that Níall is recognised for the resounding impact he has had on the profession.
“As an educator, he has been an outstanding role model for young architects, while his designs - eclectic in appearance and use - share a sense of care and grace that represent the very best of architecture.”
A public lecture will take place with McLaughlin in London on 30 April 2026.
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