Cesar Escalante
Celebrating Sustainability and Design Excellence
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards continue to stand as one of the most respected platforms for recognizing architectural excellence, celebrating projects that advance design quality, social value, and environmental responsibility. This was the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 Ceremony, held on October 16 at the Roundhouse in London, bringing together architects, engineers, and industry partners to reflect on how the profession is responding to the urgent challenges of climate change, urban resilience, and community impact.
Autodesk was proud to sponsor the ceremony, reinforcing a shared commitment with RIBA to architecture that delivers measurable environmental performance while enhancing human experience. The awards recognize projects that embed sustainability as a core design driver, from early site and massing decisions through long-term use and adaptation.
2025 Stirling Prize Winner
The top honor was awarded to Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann Architects. The project was celebrated for reinterpreting the traditional almshouse typology to create high-quality, dignified housing for older residents, combining architectural clarity with a strong sense of community and social purpose.
Judges praised the project’s contribution to later-life living, its humane approach to housing, and its demonstration of how architecture can address broader societal challenges through thoughtful, enduring design.
Autodesk 2025 RIBA Sustainability Award
Amy Bunszel, VP of AEC Solutions at Autodesk, presented the Autodesk RIBA Sustainability Award 2025, underscoring Autodesk’s commitment to advancing sustainability, innovation, and design excellence across the built environment.
The award was presented to Central Foundation Boys’ School by Hawkins\Brown, recognizing a thoughtful, phased ten-year transformation of a historic secondary school campus that aligns long-term vision, environmental responsibility, and educational outcomes. The jury highlighted the project’s sensitive response to its urban context, emphasis on adaptive reuse and phased delivery, and its ability to significantly improve environmental performance while maintaining continuity for students and staff by embedding sustainability over time through operational efficiency, material reuse, and spatial quality.
Key Takeaways from the Ceremony
Across the awards program, several themes emerged clearly:
- Sustainability is positioned as a foundational design principle rather than a compliance requirement
- Strong emphasis on site-specific responses, climate awareness, and material efficiency
- Recognition of projects demonstrating long-term adaptability and resilience
- Celebration of collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches that connect early design decisions to long-term value
These themes reflect a broader shift within the profession toward earlier insight, integrated workflows, and data-informed decision-making from concept through delivery.
Autodesk’s Ongoing Commitment
Autodesk’s sponsorship of the Sustainability Award and its presence at the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony reaffirm a continued investment in empowering architects at the earliest stages of design. With tools like Autodesk Forma Site Design, teams can explore site constraints, environmental conditions, and sustainability performance early in the process, helping influence design outcomes early, before critical decisions are locked in.
By supporting the RIBA Awards, Autodesk celebrates not only outstanding architectural achievement but also the values that define the future of the profession. To explore the complete list of 2025 RIBA Award winners and shortlisted projects, visit the RIBA Awards website for complete coverage.