Croydon Council Housing Scheme Wins 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize

A council-led housing development in Croydon, south London, has been awarded the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious architecture award. The project, designed by Mary Duggan Architects with Ruff Architects, consists of a cluster of pink and brown brick towers on a steeply sloping site surrounded by mature trees. The scheme provides 157 homes, far exceeding the 80 initially requested by the council. The flats overlook allotments, playgrounds, and the rolling hills of south London. The win is only the second time a council housing project has received the Stirling Prize; the first was Goldsmith Street in Norwich in 2019, designed by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley. The award was announced in October 2026. The project has been praised as a model for council-led housebuilding, and it has been suggested that Andy Burnham, if pursuing a 'council housebuilding comeback', should look to Croydon for inspiration. The victory defied bookmakers' odds, as the scheme was considered an outsider.