Royal College of Music

by John Simpson Architects

Client Royal College of Music

Award RIBA London Award 2025

The award winner tells us: "John Simpson Architects say of the project: "the project at the Royal College of Music, London, was commissioned to resolve convoluted circulation that resulted from piecemeal additions to its campus in the 1960s and ’70s. The project included provision of new foyer and entrance spaces which were designed in the form of a triple height top lit atrium with an adjacent external court around which a café-bar, restaurant, and green rooms are arranged to serve as the social heart of the school.

Two new multifunctional performance venues - acoustically isolated, with adjustable internal acoustics for different types of music - have been created below ground, as well as space for a new Museum to display the College’s significant collection of historic musical instruments. This has been constructed in a contemporary classical style, complementing and tying together the diverse range of existing listed buildings, including those by Arthur Blomfield and Sidney Smith."

The jury says: "... commissioned to resolve convoluted circulation that resulted from piecemeal additions to its campus in the 1960s and ’70s. The project included provision of new foyer and entrance spaces which were designed in the form of a triple height top lit atrium with an adjacent external court around which a café-bar, restaurant and green rooms are arranged to serve as the social heart of the school."

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

Contractor Gilbert Ash

Planner Gerald Eve

Acoustic engineer Venues Consultants

Quantity surveyor/cost consultant Aecom QS

Fire engineer FCS Live

Gross internal area 3,117m²