Four University of Westminster students won in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) London Student Awards 2024 on 28 October. This series of awards and prizes, presented since 1966, recognise the best architecture, architects, research and students in the UK and around the world.
The annual RIBA London Student Awards have been running for 50 years and highlight the exceptional work of those who set the standard for creating better buildings and places. Winning projects showcase innovation, create more sustainable futures and demonstrate a commitment to improving people’s lives through thoughtful design.
The first Award winner from Westminster is Maria Saraguro, an alumna who graduated with a Master of Architecture (RIBA II) degree in 2024. She won the Diversity and Inclusion Award for her project titled Weaving Gender: The Women’s Rhizome Village. This project blends ecological restoration with female empowerment within the Tidal Industrial Area of the River Lea. Historically affected by industrial pollution, the River Lea has faced significant environmental degradation. The village serves as a sanctuary for women and single mothers facing social injustices and housing challenges, promoting economic independence and community integration. Sustainable native reeds purify the contaminated river and serve as a resource for local crafts and construction. The Women’s Rhizome Village empowers women, fostering new beginnings and economic opportunities, where individuals connect and support one another, creating a resilient and sustainable communal and ecological fabric.
Another winner is second-year Architecture BA Honours student Aristote Raffeneau, who won the Commendation Award. His project, titled Hommage to Vanessa Barrragão – Textile Artist, creates a unique living experience that celebrates both creativity and environmental responsibility. It envisions a sustainable living and exhibition space for textile artist Vanessa Barragão, whose work captures the nature of the ocean through recycled materials. The design is inspired by coral formations, reflecting the organic fluidity of underwater landscapes and the natural shapes found beneath the sea. The building is divided into two distinct areas: a private living and working space for the artist, and a public exhibition area that encourages interaction between art and nature.
The concept focuses on sustainability, utilising 3D-printed clay to emulate the organic imperfections of coral. This innovative choice of material not only embodies the texture of natural elements but also aligns with eco-conscious practices. The design features large apertures and high ceilings to maximise natural light, allowing shadows to dance across the space and enhancing the atmosphere within.
Azra Samiha Reza is a second-year student on the Architecture and Environmental Design BSc Honours course. She also won an Architecture BA First Prize Award for her project, Brick Lane Bakery Shop. Situated in Brick Lane near Whitechapel, this project aims to design a passive, energy-generating and environmentally friendly live-work building that benefits the local and wider community, utilising dormant and abandoned spaces in a populated city. The project was inspired by the global pandemic which emphasised the importance of live-work spaces, which combine workspaces with living quarters as a solution to the housing and cost-of-living crisis.
Azra designed a bakery shop programme for a family of four. The concept was inspired by a Rubik's cube, focusing on solid and void spaces, light and shadow balance and natural ventilation for thermal comfort. An environmental matrix and a 3D diagram were used to justify the programme. Azra also incorporated a rain harvesting system to make her design sustainable and eco-friendly.
Richa Mukhia, Level Four Course Leader of the Architecture BA Honours course, said: “Azra and Aristote are both deserving recipients of this prestigious prize. Both students had highly experimental design processes grounded in making and testing, which enabled them to produce sophisticated proposals for their sites on Brick Lane.”
Luke Hickling, a second-year student on the Master of Architecture (RIBA II) course, won the MA Architecture First Prize Award for his project titled Hanging Around, which regards a radical agricultural collective that has found sanctuary up in the hills and over a dam. This project addresses the urgent need to safeguard Provence's economic foundation and cultural identity amidst a shifting climate paradigm. In response to climate change, the agricultural industry in Provence must relocate from the overheated valleys to the area near Lac de Bimont in the mountains. The self-built cooperative makes use of the dormant Barrage de Bimont as a structural asset, utilising dimensioned local limestone and timber to create a self-built village and industrial processing unit within an anti-formalist framework.
The awarded Westminster students’ designs directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about the Architecture, Interiors and Urban Design courses at the University of Westminster.
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