RIBA UK Awards information and entry guidelines

Entries for the RIBA UK Awards 2024 have now closed. Entries for the RIBA UK Awards 2025 will open in autumn 2024.

Please note some recent changes in the eligibility criteria for the RIBA Awards:

projects are required to have been in use for at least one year to be eligible for entry - this means that for the RIBA Awards 2024, the project must have been completed between October 2020 and December 2022 and occupied by December 2022 (one year before entries to the 2024 awards close)
projects must also meet the requirements outlined in the new sustainability criteria. See below for further information

Find out more about recent changes to our UK Awards programme.

Why enter the RIBA Awards

For over 50 years the RIBA Awards have championed and celebrated the best architecture in the UK and around the world, no matter the form, size, or budget.

Successful projects reflect changes and innovations in architecture, but at their core display a commitment to designing and developing buildings and spaces for the improvement and enhancement of people’s lives.

RIBA Awards are regarded by both the public and profession as the most valued architecture awards with an unrivalled approach to the judging and promotion of good architecture
RIBA Awards and prizes are the most rigorously judged awards for architectural excellence and are based on the judgement of peers as a result of building visits
all award-winning projects will have been visited by at least one expert jury
all RIBA Awards are judged by award-winning architects and relevant lay assessors
award winners will have PR support from RIBA and the chance to be featured in online, print and filmed content by our prestigious media partners. Please note: there are filming requirements for any projects that make the House of the Year longlist
award-winning projects are featured on architecture.com which has an annual visit rate of over 2.5 million globally
RIBA Awards are highlighted and amplified on all of our social media channels with a global reach of over half a million followers
award winners will receive both hard-copy and digital RIBA Awards marketing assets

Deadlines

Entries to the RIBA UK Awards 2024 have now closed.

For all key dates see the RIBA Awards timetable.

Who can enter

UK Awards

To create an account for the RIBA Awards for projects in the UK, you must have a current individual RIBA Chartered Membership number or RIBA International Fellowship.

The project director must be a current RIBA Chartered Member - learn how to join RIBA.

To enter a building in the UK (excluding Scotland - see below) for the RIBA Awards:

the project director must be a current RIBA, RSAW, RIAS, RSUA Chartered member or RIBA International Fellow
the project must have been completed between October 2020 and December 2022
the project must have been occupied by December 2022 (one year before entries to the 2024 UK Awards close). Partially-occupied commercial and housing projects are subject to RIBA approval
the project director must have the client's permission to submit the project

Buildings in Scotland

To enter projects in Scotland, please see the RIAS Awards. Entries which have been unsuccessful at RIAS shortlisting stage in the preceding year can be re-submitted and will be considered for both RIAS and RIBA (National) Awards provided that:

the project must have been completed between October 2020 and January 2023
the project must have been occupied by January 2023 (one year before entries to the 2024 RIAS Awards close). Partially-occupied commercial and housing projects are subject to approval
the full entry fee for RIAS Awards is paid

The scheme will be judged by different judges, and will include a RIBA Representative and one RIAS judge.

RIBA, RSAW, RIAS, RSUA members and RIBA International Fellows can enter projects into both the UK and International Awards.

If you are thinking about entering buildings in the UK but are not a member, please see more information on becoming a RIBA Member.

How to enter

Entries to the RIBA UK Awards 2024 have now closed.

All of the following information will need to be provided in order to complete your awards submission:

Project information

project name
project address (including county for UK projects) and postcode if applicable
gross internal area in sq m, in the case of largely landscape/ urban design projects gross external area in sq m
net internal area in sq m
contract value / building cost of the project including build and fit-out if done/overseen by the architect (excluding land costs and fees)
contract type (for UK projects), planning approval date and occupation date of the project

Contact details

architect practice / studio name
architect practice / studio address
contact details for project director/architect, client and contractor
contact for jury visits
press contact
photographer details

If you worked in collaboration with another practice or architect, you must all be in agreement on the entry and how the project should be credited.

Project description

500 words describing the project, setting out:

the client’s brief
materials and method of construction
summary of timetable, programme, planning and budget constraints
how the project contributes to its environment, the experience of occupants and wider society
how the needs of users have been met based upon the principles of inclusive design.

This project description will be used in jury meetings and to influence press coverage, so please ensure it fully encapsulates the key elements of your project.

Key consultants

Please include:

a list of all key consultants to be credited, e.g. structural engineer, services engineer, landscape architect(s) etc, with contact details

These consultants will be credited on all of our online content, press releases and awards certificates, so please ensure they are listed correctly.

Images

Entrants are required to submit the following:

a minimum of five and up to ten JPEG images of the project, with a minimum width and/or height of 1000 px (max file size is 10MB)
up to five additional JPEG images showing existing buildings or site photographs (max file size is 10MB)

Entrants must:

select five of these project images to be used for press purposes - we recommend press images to be at least 2000 pixels in height or width and 300dpi
include a mixture of external and internal shots of the project
upload each image as single image files, not composite boards - an exception to this rule would be to place the before and after images of a refurb project side by side and upload as one file
convey the way in which the project relates to its context, as these images are used for judging purposes
include both wide shots and close-ups, and show the building in use, if possible
not include company logos or text on any images
include the photographer credit for each image uploaded

Drawings

Entrants must also upload:

a minimum of one and a maximum of six drawing files as JPEG format only (max file size is 2MB)

This should typically include:

a location plan (showing the project in context, eg 1:1250)
a site plan
a ground floor plan (showing main access)
a typical floor plan
two sections

You may upload up to six separate files. These can be configured as one to two drawings per page, if necessary. Please bear in mind the jury will be reading the drawings on A4 pages and on screen, so landscape orientation is preferred if possible.

Photographers

Entrants will need to include:

the name and contact details of photographer(s)

Please bear in mind:

RIBA will only use the photographs or other media submitted for the purposes of the RIBA Awards
RIBA will require confirmation that the relevant copyright owner of the photograph or other media submitted has licensed the right to use the photograph or other media of your scheme for all purposes related to the RIBA Awards (in print, social and digital media). This might include publicising an exhibition (of winning entries), a lecture series (featuring the winning architects), or promoting the award itself.
photographers will always be credited on their images, so supplying us with the correct information on each photograph is essential

Sustainability

Our awards criteria is aligned to support the 2030 Climate Challenge and the measures articulated within the challenge are increasingly being used to define the standards expected of RIBA Award-winning projects
For 2024: All projects are expected to meet statutory targets in achieving sustainable outcomes and measure and verify how they perform. Please complete as many questions as possible so that we can understand the credentials of your scheme
You may find it helpful to refer to our RIBA Awards Sustainability Guide for further guidance about how to answer these questions. The guide also lists all questions in the sustainability section of the form, should you wish to download and send to any external consultants to fill in and send back to you. But please note that all figures must then be completed in the online submission
If mandatory data is required but not applicable to your project, please insert ‘0’ (zero) in the data field and provide an explanation in the relevant text box - e.g. a bridge will not be able to provide some mandatory data due to its typology

UN Global Compact

RIBA supports the universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption that form the UN Global Compact
as a signatory, RIBA is committed to upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethics in architecture and the wider construction industry
RIBA reserves the right to request further information about the ways in which the scheme complies with the principles of the UN Global Compact and will take this into account when determining awards

Terms and Conditions

View our RIBA Awards Terms and Conditions

Use of information

Data, including images, plans, drawings, technical and budget information and narrative text submitted in support of all RIBA Awards entries will be used by the RIBA and judges acting on its behalf for the purposes of assessing awards entries in the current year of judging.

Any information relating to budget, personal details, such as company names or client names, and addresses that the individual or agent preparing the application wishes to remain confidential during and subsequent to the judging process has the facility (through the online entry system) to mark this information as confidential during the application process.

Information marked as confidential will not be shared for publicity or any form of public dissemination. Information not marked as confidential will be assumed to be suitable for public dissemination. For the avoidance of doubt, information marked confidential will be shared with awards juries acting on behalf of RIBA for the purposes of evaluating and assessing awards entries.

Juries will be made aware of their obligation to treat the information as confidential beyond the immediate purposes of assessing awards entries. The visual data (images, plans, drawings) will also be used by RIBA for the promotion of the awards.

Data will be held by RIBA in perpetuity for the purposes of maintaining a record of the entries and for RIBA archive. This information will not be shared with any third party without the express and prior consent of the author, their clients or agents acting on their behalf.

Payment

payments must be made online using a valid credit or debit card at the end of the entry process
the entry fee is dependent on the contract value of the building entered, which are applicable to all entrants (see payment bands below)
you cannot alter your entry once payment has been made
online entry must be paid by credit card or debit card and in GBP sterling - we cannot issue invoices

Financial support

We now provide financial support via discounted or free entry for architects and practices without the financial resources to enter our UK Awards programme.

You can contact the Awards Team via awards@riba.org for more information. Please note that applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Entry fees

The entry fee is dependent on the contract value of the project. See 2024 entire prices below for reference.

Project construction cost	Fee before 23.59 GMT on 16 November 2023	Fee from 17 November 2023
Under £500k	£99	£110
£500k - £1,999,999	£218	£242
£2m - £4,999,999	£400	£444
£5m - £9,999,999	£567	£630
£10m - £20m	£651	£723
Over £20m	£739	£821

All fees are shown in GBP sterling excluding VAT. UK VAT will be charged for all entries.

Judging criteria and process

Architectural integrity

The project must:

be capable of stimulating, engaging and delighting its occupants, visitors and passers by
have a design vision that's reflected in all aspects of the design
have a robust design that has potential for flexibility in the future
be environmentally and economically sustainable
provide social value
demonstrate innovation, invention and originality
select materials considering the environmental impact
have an appropriate scale
be detailed with rigour
consider size and space, in terms of the spatial experience it offers
demonstrate architectural and conceptual ambition
have a completed sustainability statement, including a response to the target metrics set out in the RIBA 2030 Challenge

Usability and context

The project must:

respond generously to the public realm or environment
make a significant contribution to the community
respond to the issues of accessibility and other social factors
have suitable structural and servicing systems
contribute generously to the public realm or environment

Delivery, execution and initial occupation

The project will be judged on:

the complexity of brief and degree of difficulty; its architectural ambition and ideas
whether it's fit for purpose, especially in response to the client's brief as reflected in the level of client satisfaction
its timetable - the project should not have gone over time without good cause
the type of contract, for example: traditional, design and build etc
value for money and budget
client and users’ feedback on the project in use

Judging process

RIBA Awards and prizes are the most rigorously judged awards for architectural excellence. No award or prize is given unless the project has been visited by at least one jury.

All RIBA Awards are judged by award-winning architects and relevant lay assessors. RIBA juries assess design excellence irrespective of style, size or complexity, taking into account constraints of budget, brief and timetable while being sensitive to the economic and social contexts of each project.

Before any visits are made, every judge will read and digest the criteria and study all the submitted materials. They will then visit an agreed list of projects, looking in detail at all aspects, interior and exterior; listen to the story that both architect and client have to tell, and ask them about the process and its results.

After discussion with fellow judges, they will arrive at their provisional decisions. Once all visits have concluded, the jury will meet for a final time to decide the awards.

RIBA Awards resources

Follow our short how-to guide to log in and navigate to our new RIBA Awards entry platform.

View our video playlist below for guidance on the RIBA UK Awards process.

​RIBA ​UK Awards information and entry guidelines​