Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by the Monarch and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence either directly or indirectly on the advancement of architecture.
Awarded since 1848, past Royal Gold Medallists include Balkrishna Doshi (2022), Sir David Adjaye (2021), Grafton Architects (2020), Sir Nicholas Grimshaw (2019), Neave Brown (2018), Dame Zaha Hadid (2016), Frank Gehry (2000), Sir Norman Foster (1983), Frank Floyd Wright (1941) and Sir George Gilbert Scott (1859).
“I am pleasantly surprised and deeply humbled to receive the Royal Gold Medal from the Queen of England. What a great honour! The news of this award brought back memories of my time working with Le Corbusier in 1953 when he had just received the news of getting the Royal Gold Medal. I vividly recollect his excitement to receive this honour from Her Majesty. He said to me metaphorically, ‘I wonder how big and heavy this medal will be.’ Today, six decades later I feel truly overwhelmed to be bestowed with the same award as my guru, Le Corbusier - honouring my six decades of practice. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my wife, my daughters and most importantly my team and collaborators at Sangath my studio.” Balkrishna Doshi, Architect and recipient of the Royal Gold Medal 2022.
See the list of Royal Gold Medal recipients from 1980-2022.
Nominations for the 2023 Royal Gold Medal are now closed.
Update: There have been some adjustments to the Royal Gold Medal timeline, and we’re hoping to announce the next recipient mid 2023.
