The Appleby Blue Almshouse in London has achieved a remarkable triple victory at the 2025 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards, capturing the prestigious Stirling Prize along with two additional honors. The senior housing project by Witherford Watson Mann Architects was recognized with the Stirling Prize, the Neave Brown Award for Housing, and the Client of the Year award, marking an unprecedented sweep for a single project.

Since 1996, RIBA has annually presented the Stirling Prize to celebrate outstanding architecture in Great Britain. This year's winner, the Appleby Blue Almshouse, draws inspiration from medieval English almshouses and aims to combat loneliness among elderly residents through its multi-layered spatial offerings. The facility, located in London's Bermondsey district, provides approximately 60 apartments and communal facilities, operated by the nonprofit United St Saviours Charity.

Jury chairperson Ingrid Schroder, Director of the Architectural Association (AA), praised the project as a wake-up call for new forms of living. She described the Appleby Blue Almshouse as "a hopeful and imaginative response to the acute housing shortage and the growing epidemic of loneliness among older people." The innovative design approach successfully addresses two critical social challenges facing modern Britain: housing scarcity and social isolation among seniors.

The 2025 awards ceremony also recognized excellence in other categories. Matthew Lloyd Architects from London received the Stephen Lawrence Prize for newcomers with their church conversion project, St Mary's Walthamstow. This award specifically honors emerging talent in the architectural field and celebrates innovative approaches to adaptive reuse of religious buildings.

In the sustainability category, Hugh Broughton Architects of London earned the Reinvention Award for their transformation of the Sheerness Dockyard Church in Bluetown. This recognition highlights the growing importance of adaptive reuse and sustainable design practices in contemporary architecture, demonstrating how historic structures can be given new life while preserving their cultural significance.

The selection process for the Stirling Prize involved approximately 20 projects that had previously qualified through the National Awards program. From these qualified entries, the jury carefully selected six finalists for the shortlist before determining the ultimate winner. The prestigious award comes with a £20,000 scholarship, providing significant support for the winning firm's continued architectural endeavors.

Last year's Stirling Prize was awarded to a collaborative team including Grimshaw Architects, Maynard Design, Equation Lighting, and AtkinsRéalis for their work on the Elizabeth Line subway stations. This demonstrates the award's recognition of both individual architectural excellence and collaborative infrastructure projects that serve the public good.

The success of the Appleby Blue Almshouse represents a significant moment in British architecture, highlighting the profession's growing focus on socially responsive design. The project's triple recognition underscores the importance of addressing demographic challenges through thoughtful architectural solutions that prioritize community building and quality of life for vulnerable populations.