The Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has announced the final seven contenders for the best works of architecture in Northern Ireland in 2025. The shortlisted projects are:
One Elmwood, Queen’s University by Hawkins/Brown and RPP Architects
Roddy McCorley Heritage Centre by McGurk Architects
Silver Bark House by Marshall McCann Architects
Student Hub, Queen’s Business School by TODD Architects
Light House by McGonigle McGrath Architects
Templemore Baths by McAdam Design and Consarc Design Group
New Gate Arts and Culture Centre by McGurk Architects
Ciarán Fox, Director of RSUA, commented, “This year’s shortlist is a wonderful blend of the old and the new. It’s great to see innovative architecture breathing life into existing structures. It’s one of the most sustainable moves a client can make. We also have a couple of new builds which are excellent examples of successfully delivering the low-carbon agenda in a beautiful way.”
“We are proud to recognise and celebrate the architects, clients, and wider teams who have contributed to these projects, each demonstrating elements of delight, invention, or ambition deserving of further examination.”
To be considered for this year’s awards, projects had to be in use for at least one year, allowing the judging panel to assess their sustainability and real-world performance more effectively. This ensures that the RSUA Design Awards remain the most rigorous benchmark for outstanding architecture in Northern Ireland. RSUA continues to prioritise design excellence that takes into account environmental impact, carbon footprint, and long-term sustainability.
Each project will now be visited by the panel for a rigorous round of judging that will lead to the winners’ announcement in early May 2025. This year, local designer Sara O’Neill joins a distinguished panel of architects from Ireland and the United Kingdom including Trevor Leaker from AECOM, Bob Allies from Allies and Morrison and Charlotte Sheridan from Sheridan Woods.
The winners of this year’s RSUA Design Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony on Thursday 8 May 2025 in the Ulster University Belfast Campus, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. This building won the Liam McCormack Prize for NI Building of the Year at the RSUA Design Awards in 2024.
