The Elizabeth Line wins the Stirling Prize

[J-2739]

Not every day that a railway project wins a top architectural prize:

London's Elizabeth line wins 2024 Riba Stirling Prize for architecture

The Stirling Prize is normally awarded to a new building, but has gone to the entire train line.

www.bbc.co.uk

And the report by the RIBA:

https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-page/awards/riba-stirling-prize

The Elizabeth Line – London’s new transport network – designed by Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation and AtkinsRéalis has been named as the winner of the 2024 RIBA Stirling Prize.

About The Elizabeth Line

The Elizabeth Line is the result of a remarkable collaboration between architects, engineers and designers. Together, Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation and AtkinsRéalis have designed a highly-inclusive, cohesive transport system that has already evidenced its social, environmental and economic value. By expanding capacity, reducing congestion, supporting Capital-wide regeneration, and creating employment opportunities – the Elizabeth Line continues to contribute to the city’s long-term growth.



The winning scheme comprises platform architecture, passenger tunnels, escalators, station concourses, signage, furniture, fittings, finishes and supporting technology. The 10 new stations have each been designed separately.

Speaking on behalf of the RIBA Stirling Prize jury, Muyiwa Oki, RIBA President and Jury Chair, said:
“The Elizabeth Line is a triumph in architect-led collaboration, offering a flawless, efficient, beautifully choreographed solution to inner-city transport."

It’s an uncluttered canvas that incorporates a slick suite of architectural components to create a consistent, line-wide identity – through which thousands of daily passengers navigate with ease.

Neill McClements, Partner, Grimshaw, on behalf of the line wide design team including Grimshaw, Atkins Realis, Equation and Maynard, said:
“The Elizabeth Line is a piece of infrastructure that has been transformative, not only for London’s transport network but also for many people’s lives, highlighting the role design plays in elevating our every day.

It is also a recognition of the challenges that our profession faces today – the responsibility we have to rapidly respond to the climate emergency, decarbonise our cities and prioritise social and economic equity. We know this is only achievable through collaboration and the Stirling Prize recognises all of the design and construction teams that have come together to make the project the success that it is.”

The Stirling Prize is sponsored by Autodesk.

Entries for the RIBA UK Awards 2025 open on 17 October

Visit the RIBA Stirling Prize 2024 shortlist exhibition at 66 Portland Place, London until 5 November

Buy tickets to the RIBA Stirling Prize winners talk

Find out more about Stirling and Special Awards and hear from the winners on RIBAJ

I was really rooting for this project, so I am very pleased that the judging panel also came to this conclusion.

London's Elizabeth line wins 2024 Riba Stirling Prize for architecture

The Stirling Prize is normally awarded to a new building, but has gone to the entire train line.

www.bbc.co.uk

They obviously didn't take into account lift delays at Paddington or on balance felt even with those it deserved the win.

This award only considers the underground-y bits of the Elizabeth Line, and even then, not really stations like Paddington and Canary Wharf. Paddington actually did make the National Awards...
https://www.architecture.com/awards...inners/2024/paddington-elizabeth-line-station

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station is a remarkable addition to London's transport network, bringing daylight and fresh air to platform level, in contrast with most underground stations.

To create a seamless and uplifting transition from the Grade I listed Paddington railway station, much of which dates back to the 1850s, architects WW+P used some of the historic station’s motifs within the modern design. Accessibility is at the heart of the project, with lifts showcased at the centre of the station, allowing all to enjoy the same experience of its architecture.

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal.

Contractor Costain Skanska JV

Structural Engineer WSP

Environmental / M&E Engineer WSP

Quantity Surveyor / Cost Consultant WSP

Project Management Costain Skanska JV

Landscape Architect Gillespies

Gross internal area in m² 25000

...but no futher. One wonders if the judging panel also noted the interesting lift situation...

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That does appear to be the preferred approach of the airline industry!

Reading the citation, I'm not convinced that it isn't an award for architects to tell other architects how clever architects are for making something that looks so fantastic. Something as quotidian as a lift doesn't give them the opportunity to boast about 'open sightlines' and 'clear visual language'. Which, to be fair, are important. But so is being able to get your suitcase on the train.

To be fair, it is an architectural award, not a best lift award, or something like that.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

To be fair, it is an architectural award, not a best lift award, or something like that.

I think this boils down to whether you consider architecture to be some sort of 3D artistic expression (like oil painting, but bulkier), or to be about the creation of buildings which fulfill the functional requirements of their users. Unfortunately, rather too much of the architectural awards scene seems to be linked to the former at the expense of the latter. I may be biased by my experience of "architect designed" (and in one case award winning) buildings which suffered from chronic leaking roofs, unaffordable heating costs (an affectation for bare concrete which soaked up the heat as fast it came in), rapid corrosion failures and so on. To be fair, I think the Stirling prize may now require the building to be in use for 1 year before it is awarded - but this is a recent change!

 

[J-2739]

I think this boils down to whether you consider architecture to be some sort of 3D artistic expression (like oil painting, but bulkier), or to be about the creation of buildings which fulfill the functional requirements of their users. Unfortunately, rather too much of the architectural awards scene seems to be linked to the former at the expense of the latter. I may be biased by my experience of "architect designed" (and in one case award winning) buildings which suffered from chronic leaking roofs, unaffordable heating costs (an affectation for bare concrete which soaked up the heat as fast it came in), rapid corrosion failures and so on.

That's interesting. In my opinion, I think that architecture does not have to be an either/or situation. In fact, think the best of architecture achieves a balance between the two, and is allusive to the Vitruvian firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (durability, utility, and beauty). Therefore, for one of the most prestigious architectural awards to not consider these in proportion - and I know some people on this forum would chose to forgo of 'beauty' - would not be a possibility.

For the Elizabeth Line, one of the clever design choices was to vary the type of lighting depending on the context, with the central concourse using up lighting, and the connecting corridors to the platforms using direct lighting. This has the effect of making the central concourse a place to dwell, and the connecting corridors simply a transient space, an effect I have witnessed during my many travels on the line. Not only having a functional purpose of defining space, but also a sense of beauty in bringing character to an otherwise monolith.

To be fair, I think the Stirling prize may now require the building to be in use for 1 year before it is awarded - but this is a recent change!

This is correct, and is a post-COVID response. I think this is a positive step in assessing the projects as they settle down.
Sometimes, one of the aforementioned Vitruvian qualities win out over the others, especially over time, so the extra year of assessment is important.