Sophie Page, an architecture student from Sowerby Bridge, has been named the winner of the 2025 AJ Undergraduate Award, marking her second major national recognition in the field. This latest achievement comes after she won the national Women in Property Award last year, establishing her as a rising star in British architecture.

The AJ Undergraduate Award is part of the prestigious Architects Journal Student Prize, which celebrates exceptional final-year work from students across all 62 RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and ARB (Architects Registration Board) accredited architecture schools throughout the United Kingdom. The competition represents the highest level of recognition for undergraduate architecture students nationwide.

Page's award-winning design project involved reimagining a disused 1940s factory and transforming it into a vibrant, evolving play space specifically designed for children. Her innovative approach featured a phased retrofit strategy that actively invites young people to become stewards of their own environment. The design cleverly combines material reuse principles with hands-on transformation opportunities, creating a space that grows and changes with its young users.

The judging panel was highly impressed with Page's work, describing the project as "beautiful, solid, joyful, bold and imaginative." They specifically highlighted her compelling approach to tackling the complex challenges of adaptive reuse and community engagement. The judges praised how she managed to balance practical considerations with creative vision in addressing real-world architectural problems.

Page's educational journey began in her local community, where she attended St. John's Primary Academy in Clifton and later Crossley Heath Grammar School in Halifax. She continued her studies at Greenhead College before pursuing higher education at the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University. She recently graduated with First Class Honours, demonstrating academic excellence throughout her university career.

Currently, Page is applying her skills and passion in a professional setting, working with Ian Chalk Architects in London. In this role, she is contributing to real-world projects that align with her demonstrated commitment to sustainable and socially engaged design principles. Her work reflects the same values that made her student project so compelling to the judges.

This year's AJ Student Prize specifically focused on themes of retrofit and innovation, making Page's factory transformation project particularly relevant to current architectural challenges. Her work distinguished itself among all entries for its exceptional clarity, optimism, and practical engagement with pressing real-world issues facing the architecture profession today.

Reflecting on her achievement, Page expressed her gratitude and amazement at the recognition. "I'm overwhelmed to be recognized among such incredible talent," she said, acknowledging the high caliber of competition from students across the country's top architecture programs.