From community spaces to sustainable offices: the best design in Camden crowned
On Wednesday 1 October, the best buildings and spaces in Camden were celebrated at an awards ceremony.
Held every three years, the Camden Design Awards recognise and spotlight the excellent design that is being delivered in a wide range of projects across the borough.
Over 30 projects were shortlisted from housing to community and education buildings, new or improved public spaces, retrofitting of historic buildings and more.
Split into small and major project categories, the projects were judged by two judging panels made of independent experts, including designers, architects, sustainability experts and a disability activist and chaired by Cllr Heather Johnson, Chair of Camden’s Planning Committee.
A wide range of diverse projects were awarded, demonstrating how investment in thoughtful and creative design can enrich estates and neighbourhoods as well as create inspiring places to connect, learn, perform and work.
Winners included a housing-led community project (Highgate Newtown Community Centre), as well as varied retrofit schemes which showed creativity in bringing existing buildings back to life (Space House, Arthur Stanley House and 8 Bleeding Heart Yard). Two Somers Town projects won (Central Somers Town and Edith Neville Primary School) for both displaying clever design that provides joyful environments for those using the buildings.
A simple architecture project (Elliott Square Roof Extensions) also took home an award for its commitment to community efforts and collaboration in improving a 1980s estate as well as a low budget self-built project (Triangle House) which transformed a tight former mechanic's garage into a high-quality, comfortable home.
The Camden Design Awards provide us with a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the great and varied design of developments in the borough - displaying how excellent design can create places that enrich the lives of all who live, work, and visit Camden.
From community spaces co-designed by young people, social housing, exemplar office retrofits, and extensions that enable people to stay in the borough, the awards shine a spotlight on projects that are inclusive, sustainable and that make a valued difference for residents. A huge congratulations to this year’s winners.
For the fill list of winners, highly commended and special mention projects, head to The Camden Design Awards 2025 - Camden Council
Small Projects winners:
- Triangle House - Brown Urbanism
- Steel House - EBBA Architects
- Elliot Square Roof Extensions - Burd Haward Architects, Richard Davies Architects
- Greening Compton Close - Cityscapes, Darryl Moore
- Reciprocal House - Gianni Botsford Architects
Highly Commended
- Hampstead House - Coppin Dockray
- Pine Heath - Studio Hagen Hall
- Reflect - MATT + FIONA, LDA Design, Fitzrovia Youth in Action Young Placemakers
- Swiss Cottage Children's Library - Jan Kattein Architects
Special Mention for Sustainability
- Hampstead Passive House - GS Architecture
Major Projects winners:
- Highgate Newtown Community Centre – RCKa
- Maitland Park Estate Regeneration - Cullinan Studio
- Central Somers Town - Adam Khan Architects
- Edith Neville Primary School - Hayhurst & Co
- Bleeding Heart Yard – GROUPWORK
- Arthur Stanley House – AHMM
- Space House - Squire & Partners
Highly Commended
- Cadence - Alison Brooks Architects
- KOKO - Heyne Tillett Steel/Archer Humphryes Architects
- The Warburg Institute - Haworth Tompkins
Special Mention for Sensitive Restoration
- Tin Pan Alley - Ian Chalk Architects