Norwich council estate wins best new building award

A council estate in Norwich has been named by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as the best new building in the country.

Goldsmith Street in Norwich, which was designed by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley, has been named the winner of the 2019 RIBA Stirling Prize.

The estate is comprised of almost 100 ultra low-energy homes and arranged in seven terrace blocks, modelled on the Victorian streets of the nearby ‘Golden Triangle’ district.

The back gardens of the central terraces share a secure ‘alleyway for children to play together, and a wide landscaped walkway for communal gatherings runs perpendicularly through the middle of the estate.

Goldsmith Street also has a passive solar scheme, designed to minimise fuel bills for residents.

All the homes face south and every wall is over 600mm thick, and the roofs are angled at 15 degrees to ensure each terrace does not block sunlight from homes in the street behind.

The RIBA Stirling Prize judges, chaired by Julia Barfield, said the development was a ‘modest masterpiece’ and a ‘ground-breaking project and an outstanding contribution to British architecture’.

And RIBA president Alan Jones said: ‘Faced with a global climate emergency, the worst housing crisis for generations and crippling local authority cuts, Goldsmith Street is a beacon of hope.

‘It is commended not just as a transformative social housing scheme and eco-development, but a pioneering exemplar for other local authorities to follow.’

Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for social housing, Cllr Gail Harris, added: ‘This is an incredibly proud moment for Norwich, our strong history of building social housing and our ambitions to raise environmental standards.

‘Winning this prestigious award shows that it is possible to build fantastic new council homes, despite the challenges posed by central government cuts and restrictions around Right to Buy receipts.

‘We are so grateful to Mikhail Riches for sharing our vision for these homes, and helping us to create a sustainable community for our residents.’

Photo Credit – Copyright Tim Crocker (Supplied by RIBA)