Show me the money: Sixth William Sutton Prize launched
The initiative was created to breathe life into ideas about how to positively change the lives of social housing residents.
Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest housing association, announced the launch of their annual The William Sutton Prize which has seen its pot increased to £125,000 to mark the organisation’s 125th anniversary.
‘Through The William Sutton Prize we are proud to collaborate with those who are pioneering new innovations and cutting-edge thinking,’ Clare Miller, chief executive of Clarion Housing Group said. ‘Kickstarting our 125th year anniversary celebrations, this year’s prize is our most ambitious to date and we are delighted to be able to increase the value of the funding thanks to the support of our partners.’
The honour is named after Victorian philanthropist William Sutton, whose legacy created Clarion Housing Group. Dating back to 1900, William left his fortune to build some of the first social housing in London which ultimately transformed the lives of many Victorian workers.
Fast forward 125 years and Clarion’s William Sutton Prize was created to honour the legacy. The award is split into two categories – Sustainability and Connected Communities – which celebrate the efforts of people working to improve social housing standards and surrounding areas.
The William Sutton Prize for Sustainability will be awarded to an organisation or individuals coming up with ideas to help restore and preserve our natural world, whether this is through renewable energy, biodiversity or retrofit.
Equally, the prize for Connected Communities – a new addition for 2025 – celebrates ideas that enhance community ties and promote inclusion. The category has been created in partnership with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA).
Peter Murray OBE, co-founder of New London Architecture and one of the judges of this year’s prize, said: ‘It is an honour and privilege to be asked to judge The William Sutton Prize in Clarion’s 125th anniversary year. We need the best brains with the most ambition to match the transformative impact of Clarion’s founder, and I’m really looking forward to receiving the submissions and meeting the people behind them.’
Alongside Peter, Tara Gbolade, co-founding director of Gbolade Design Studio, Matt Harvey-Agyemang, co-founder of The POoR Collective, and Gred Fitzgerald of Vistry Group will also be judging applications.
Applications for the prize are now open and are due to close at midday on 8th April 2025. To find out more about the programme or apply, information can be accessed here.
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