Elizabeth Tower

by Purcell

Client Strategic Estates/Houses of Parliament

Award RIBA London Award 2025

Elizabeth TowerHouse of CommonsWEBIMAGE8jpg — Elizabeth Tower © House of Commons

The award winner tells us: "The Elizabeth Tower is the pinnacle of Parliament: the symbolic heartbeat and timepiece of the nation. Its restoration is a testament to the preservation of historic landmarks, craftmanship, and the integration of modern engineering techniques.

At the project’s inception in 2015, the tower was overdue for its next repair cycle: the subsequent conservation and refurbishment project has been the most extensive in the tower’s 160-year history. Purcell's objective was to undertake comprehensive repairs, whilst undoing detrimental previous interventions, and extending its life cycle before the next refurbishment to 50 years, safeguarding its future as a cultural monument and heritage site."

The jury says: "Like many conservation projects, appreciating the achievement requires some investigation. The shape of the tower, the clock faces and the sounds of the bells are mostly appreciated from a distance, as a dominant presence within one of the world’s most recognisable skylines. The jury’s inspection was carried out from within, after entering through a very modest door to one side of the main thoroughfare of MPs and parliamentary staff going about their business.

Work led by Purcell at the lower levels included extensive stone repairs, the refurbishment of various interior rooms for exhibitions and admin, and the clever insertion of a passenger lift which must be a welcome addition to the clock engineers and tour guides."

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal

Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine

Cast iron roof and bronze windows Shepley Engineers

Doors and joinery DBR Ltd

Gilding and decorations Cliveden Conservation

M&E Tillbury Douglas Engineering

Lifts Stannah Lifts

Specialist coatings to structural frame Universal Coatings

Steelwork Apex

Scaffolding PHD

Temporary electrical supplies Panthera

Demolition Realtime