Peter Barber Architects has picked up RIBA’s 2021 Neave Brown Award for Housing for its 26-home McGrath Road scheme in east London – pipping Maccreanor Lavington and Stanton Williams in the process.

Half of the four projects shortlisted for this year’s award were designed by Barber, but judges preferred McGrath Road in Stratford – created for client Newham council – above the practice’s 95 Peckham Road scheme.

Named in honour of social housing pioneer Neave Brown, who died in 2018, the awards salute new affordable housing. McGrath Road is the second winner of the accolade, following Mikhail Riches success with Goldsmith Street in Norwich in 2019. That housing project also won the Stirling Prize. There was no award last year because of the pandemic.

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