Our annual, free celebration of buildings that work for the common good is welcoming submissions until 25 October. Send us projects you know of that bring real social benefit
We’re here again, looking for projects that engage with inclusion, sustainability, communities, health, or anything that contributes to the common good. If you’ve recently completed an architectural project that you feel advances social or environmental goals, this is your chance to bring it to wider attention.
The RIBA Journal MacEwen Award was launched in 2016 to discover and celebrate architecture with a greater purpose – architecture that perhaps takes a little bit more effort, but that has significantly more impact as a result. Over the years, the award has grown and evolved. We’ve remained flexible as to what ‘common good’ can mean, learning from the diverse approaches taken by entrants in their projects and practices. But this award has always been dedicated to foregrounding responsible architecture that acts in the wider interest, whatever the context.
The winner of this year’s MacEwen Award was Snug Architects for its Hope Street project in Southampton, which offers a place of safety for women in the justice system. The project involved tireless lobbying, activity, funding and fundraising from Edwina Grosvenor and the charity One Small Thing. To MacEwen judge Isabelle Priest, the result felt transformative and bold, while fellow judge Je Ahn of Studio Weave commented, ‘It is an architecturally refined [project] and deals with difficult thematic issues.’
The award brings together every scale of practice and project, and entries may create a wonderful sense of place, engage with local issues, or tackle global challenges. But each should do so with dignity and joy, and an abiding concern for the common good.
As with all the awards we run at the RIBAJ, the MacEwen Award is free to enter and aims to reach previously under-represented parts of the profession.
The deadline is 2pm, Friday 25th October 2024.
The MacEwen Award is named after Anni and Malcolm MacEwen, the first an urban planner who pioneered a conservation-based approach to regeneration in both town and country, he a campaigning journalist and former editor of this magazine. We are delighted to be supported by BDP, a hugely successful multi-discipline practice that has always been guided by a strong social ethos.
The RIBAJ MacEwen Award is our way of getting to the heart of responsible architecture
COMPETITION CONDITIONS
1. Competition promoter
The competition is being run by the RIBA Journal.
2. Eligibility
No member or employee of the promoting body, the evaluation panel, or any partner, close associate or employee of them is eligible to compete or assist a competitor.
3. Competition format
The competition will follow the single-phase format.
A winner and commended projects will be selected. They will be profiled in the RIBA Journal and on ribaj.com.
Shortlisted and longlisted entries will also be published.
4. Declaration of authorship and acceptance of competition regulations
By entering entrants agree to abide by the competition conditions and the decision of the evaluation panel as final.
Please note the details stated on the form will be used as the credits in all publication and promotional activity so please ensure this is reflected accurately.
5. Evaluation panel
The evaluation panel is expected to be as follows (may be subject to change):
- John Jervis, managing editor, RIBA Journal (chair)
- Kathy MacEwen, planner and daughter of Anni and Malcolm MacEwen
- Robyn Poulson, architect, BDP London
- Steve Wilkinson, associate, James Gorst Architects
- Mike Worthington, founding director, People Architects
In the event of an evaluation panel member being unable to continue to act through illness or any other cause, the RIBA reserve the right to appoint an alternative panel member.
6. Competition timetable
The anticipated programme, which may be subject to variation, is as follows:
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Competition launches |
Tuesday 18 June 2024 |
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Submission deadline |
Friday 25 October 2024 by 14:00 BST |
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Evaluation of entries with panel and winners agreed |
Thursday 14 November 2024 |
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Longlist announced on ribaj.com |
Tuesday 10 December 2024 |
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Shortlist announced on ribaj.com |
Tuesday 14 January 2025 |
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Result announced in RIBA Journal and on ribaj.com |
Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 January 2025 |
7. Disqualification
Submissions shall be excluded from the competition:
- If received after the latest time stated under submission method;
- If, in the opinion of the Evaluation Panel, it does not fulfil the requirements of the competition brief;
- If any of the mandatory requirements of the competition brief and conditions are disregarded.
8. Submission requirements
Below are the elements to the submission:
Name, location, cost, area, and description of project
Client statement, maximum 100 words
Outline of the beneficial social impact of the scheme, maximum 400 words
Credit list of consultants and client
Up to six images and drawings of project
9. Submission method
Each design submission should be uploaded before 14.00 hours on Friday 25th October 2024.
Please note that the total upload should not exceed 30MB.
Late entries will not be accepted and the digital entry system will not permit uploads after the deadline. You are strongly advised to allow adequate time for your submission material to successfully upload.
10. Evaluation criteria
Demonstration of:
- A proactive, project-appropriate approach
- Architectural ingenuity
- Evidence of social, environmental and economic benefit to the wider community
11. Notification of result / publication and publicity
The competition results will be published after all entrants have been notified.
Entrants should note that by entering the competition they are expected to honour the request for confidentiality to prevent information of the shortlist or the winning team being leaked before any official announcement is made.
The RIBA reserve the right to publicise the competition, any design submission, and the result in any promotional activity, including all social media channels, as they consider fit.
You grant to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) permission to reproduce the material supplied in all formats, in all media and all platforms in perpetuity, in whole or in part – either separately, or together with other designs, with or without explanatory text without payment.
Authors will credited and recognised in all associated media and publicity. This information will be taken from the file names of entered images so please ensure the details are accurate.
12. Enquiries
All enquiries relating to the competition should be directed to:
Members of the evaluation panel should not be contacted for information as this may lead to disqualification from the competition.
RIBAJ MacEwen Award 2025 is produced with support of BDP