Key Points
- Four innovative affordable housing projects have made the shortlist for the prestigious Neave Brown Award for Housing 2025, run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
- The shortlist includes Appleby Blue Almshouse in Bermondsey, Hackney’s Chowdhury Walk council housing, the Hazelmead cohousing scheme in Bridport, and Tower Court in Hackney.
- Appleby Blue Almshouse, by Witherford Watson Mann Architects and United St Saviour’s Charity, is a modern reimagining of the traditional almshouse, offering 59 supported apartments for older people in Southwark, with rents capped at social housing levels.
- Hackney’s Chowdhury Walk by Al-Jawad Pike, providing 11 new council homes (seven for social rent), has already received the 2024 Neave Brown Award for its design and impact.
- The awards highlight sustainability, community well-being, and efforts to tackle social isolation through architecture.
- Winners will be announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony in October 2025.
- Judges praised the projects for green credentials, innovative design, and the prioritisation of residents’ needs.
- The shortlisted projects include a variety of affordable tenures: social rent, shared ownership, and cohousing models.
- The projects represent a significant step in addressing the affordability and design quality of new UK housing.
Four pioneering housing projects, including a reimagined almshouse in Bermondsey and two schemes in Hackney, have been shortlisted for the UK’s top affordable housing prize for 2025, the Neave Brown Award. These projects stand as exemplars of social ambition, design innovation, and a commitment to building communities for the future.
What is the Neave Brown Award and What Does it Recognise?
The Neave Brown Award, sponsored by VMZinc and run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), was established to honour modernist architect and social housing pioneer Neave Brown. It recognises the UK’s best new affordable housing each year, with the aim of placing people and communities at the forefront of housing design and delivery. The 2025 awards shortlist sets a new standard, shining a spotlight on schemes that address critical issues such as social isolation, sustainability, and the evolving needs of diverse residents.
Which Projects Are Shortlisted for the 2025 Affordable Housing Award?
According to an official RIBA announcement covered by RIBA’s online portal and Dezeen, the four shortlisted projects are:
- Appleby Blue Almshouse, Bermondsey, South London — Witherford Watson Mann Architects for United St Saviour’s Charity and Southwark Council.
- Chowdhury Walk, Hackney — Al-Jawad Pike for Hackney Council.
- Hazelmead, Bridport — Bridport Cohousing for Hazelmead.
- Tower Court, Hackney — Adam Khan Architects for Hackney Council.
Each scheme, while differing in approach and scale, puts forward original solutions to the UK’s ongoing housing affordability challenge.
How Has Appleby Blue Almshouse Reimagined Traditional Housing for Older People?
As detailed by the RIBA awards portal and Inside Housing, Appleby Blue Almshouse is a 59-apartment development set in Bermondsey, designed to reinterpret the classic almshouse model for the 21st century. United St Saviour’s Charity, working in partnership with Southwark Council and developer JTRE London, has ensured that the almshouse remains affordable, with capped social rents. The building replaces a disused care home, and offers not only residences but also shared spaces meant to foster community.
Reporting for RIBA, the awards jury noted:
“The design attempts to remedy [social isolation] by creating spaces that encourage chance meetings, places to chat with friends or sit together with a glass of wine and watch the world go by. The bulk, massing and materiality of the building offer a contemporary but appropriate response to the context.”
With 11 wheelchair-accessible flats and an arrangement around a communal courtyard, the architectural emphasis on connection and support is designed to meet both the current and future needs of its ageing residents.
Why Was Hackney’s Chowdhury Walk Highlighted for Council Housing Excellence?
According to coverage by both Dezeen and Housing MMonline, Chowdhury Walk in Hackney represents Hackney Council’s broader push for high-quality, small-site council housebuilding. Built on the site of former garages, the development includes 11 new homes (seven for social rent), designed as staggered terraces to provide increased privacy and effective solar gain. British architecture firm Al-Jawad Pike’s design was celebrated by the Neave Brown Award jury:
As stated by Astrid Smitham, chair of the 2024 jury and last year’s award winner: “Chowdhury Walk is part of Hackney Council’s programme to build new council homes on small sites, providing eleven two-storey terraced houses on a former garage site.”
Named after the late Dr. Abdul Chowdhury, the scheme also celebrates contributions of healthcare workers, and has become a symbol of Hackney’s progressive approach to council housing.
What is Unique About the Community Flats and New Cohousing?
Bridport’s Hazelmead offers the UK’s largest cohousing scheme, focused on sustainability and shared living, while Hackney’s Tower Court project addresses affordable housing across 18 estates in the London borough. As reported by Homes & Property, the 132 homes at Tower Court are a mix of social rent, shared ownership, and outright sale; the design aims for a holistic integration of built and outdoor space, rooted in community collaboration.
How Do These Projects Address Sustainability and Wellbeing?
A report by Inside Housing and echoed by the RIBA’s official statement, judges praised the shortlisted schemes for environmental credentials and modern sustainable design standards, including the use of Passivhaus principles and locally-sourced materials:
- Appleby Blue Almshouse prioritises the well-being of older people, using dual aspect flats for natural light and ventilation, and communal areas for social interaction.
- Tower Court and other developments use green design principles to reduce fuel poverty and provide large communal gardens and amenities, aligning with modern environmental targets.
The innovation is not only in the buildings themselves but also in their approach to community, sustainability, and social value.
When Will the Winners Be Announced?
According to the official RIBA award page, the winner of the Neave Brown Award 2025 will be revealed live at the Stirling Prize ceremony, set for 16 October at the Roundhouse in London. The annual event brings together leading architects, developers, and policymakers to celebrate design excellence in UK housing.
What Do Judges and Developers Say About the Shortlisted Projects?
Inside Housing highlighted the words of the judging panel:
“We were impressed with the variety of accommodation provided, all for social rent. This development emphasises green design and future-proofing of affordable housing.”
RIBA’s jury emphasised the schemes’ resident-focused approach and innovative design, with Witherford Watson Mann Architects and Al-Jawad Pike’s teams credited for reimagining how affordable housing can contribute to well-being and community resilience.
What Impact Will These Projects Have on UK Affordable Housing?
These examples set a benchmark for future developments, demonstrating that affordable does not mean low quality or uninspired. The careful use of materials, spatial intelligence, community design, and sustainability commitments aims to influence councils, developers, and policymakers nationwide.
Hackney’s housing lead Astrid Smitham noted the potential for small-site council housing to address gaps in provision and raise design standards. At Appleby Blue, the collaboration between charity, council, and private developer is seen by RIBA as a model for partnership-led social housing into the next decade.
