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Camden's Holmes Road homelessness studios win architecture award
The innovative Holmes Road Studios designed for Camden by Peter Barber Architects - Credit: Morley von Sternberg
Camden projects including the town hall's Holmes Road Studios homelessness accommodation have been honoured with prestigious architecture awards.
The Holmes Road Studios project was completed last year, and is now one of the recent developments to be recognised in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) annual regional awards.
Also recognised is the town hall's Caudale housing in Regent's Park, while other places honoured include the revamped Standard hotel opposite St Pancras station.
Designed by Peter Barber Architects, the RIBA jury were gushing about Holmes Road. Their report reads: "The architect's success is in their thorough understanding of the residents’ and staff’s complex needs and requirements, and ability to transform them into a place that feels like home."
Cllr Danny Beales, Camden's planning boss, said: “It is great Holmes Road Hostel and other council building projects have been recognised at the RIBA London awards.
"Since opening in 2020, Holmes Road Hostel has provided safe and secure accommodation for our residents experiencing homelessness. The modern facilities at Holmes Road allow its residents to build confidence again and get back to independent living, while accessing support and training.
"It’s a really important part of our housing offer for residents, along with the brand new council homes we’re building and our “Camden Living” homes - homes offered at significantly reduced rents to help people already living and working in Camden to be able to continue to afford to live here.”
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Summarising this year's London awards, the RIBA highlighted a trend to tackle the climate crisis in many of the winning entries, and also added: "Social housing once again features in the mix as the romantic quest for ways to build dignified affordable homes nudges its way towards reality.
"Prominent tropes in this typology include courtyard arrangements and supplying tenants with their own front doors.All of this human-centred design points to a strengthening of architects’ compact with society, a trend that we are very happy and proud to celebrate."
Of the Caudale scheme in Regent's Park - created to house some of those displaced by HS2 rail works - the RIBA jury said: "The solution provides dual-and triple-aspect homes, intuitive layouts, and massing that gives excellent levels of indoor sunlight and natural ventilation."