SOCIAL MEDIA ZEITGEIST

Created in the same parliamentary sitting as the NHS, the Housing Design Awards originally sought to identify and showcase excellence among post-war council housing. In 1960, under Harold Macmillan, the awards opened up to include homes built for sale, thus acknowledging the full spectrum of housing development in the UK.

Over the decades, the awards have evolved to encompass an expansive and detailed data-driven methodology, capturing not just architectural and planning metrics but also key facts such as tenure mix, sustainability performance, and public realm contributions. With support from MHCLG, Homes England, and stakeholders like the RIBA, RICS, RTPI, and GLA, the HDAs have become an authoritative benchmark used by policymakers, planners, and commissioners.

Today, being shortlisted – let alone winning – an HDA is a mark of excellence. Studios gain visibility across the public and private sectors, as the shortlist feeds into a widely used public database, influencing site briefs, procurement, and design policy.

 

Snapshot of the 2025 Shortlist

The 2025 shortlist features 48 diverse projects, divided between Completed and Planned schemes. While design quality is a consistent thread, the entries span an array of contexts: from urban infill council estates to rural retirement villages, and from community land trusts to volume housebuilder developments. Below, we group a selection of standout projects based on their client typologies and delivery models.

Public Housing: Local Authority Leadership
A resurgence in council-led housing has been a defining trend in recent years, and this year’s shortlist highlights several compelling examples:

Completed: Bancroft and Wickford Street (Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects)
A classic estate regeneration scheme in Tower Hamlets, this project delivers 33 affordable homes with a community centre and public park. The scheme is council-led, showcasing features such as air-source heat pumps, triple-aspect family duplexes, and a car-free design, built with New London Vernacular detailing and generous communal access galleries​.

Planned: Charlton and Albany (Henley Halebrown, nimtim architects, ZCD Architects)
In Hounslow, this 100% affordable, council-led redevelopment combines social rent housing (97%) with Passivhaus standards. It was developed through co-design with residents, and integrates biodiversity, intergenerational play spaces, and strong street edges defined by retained mature trees​ (below).

Community-Led Projects: Grassroots Innovation
These schemes are distinguished by their bottom-up processes, often initiated by residents or community land trusts. Their importance lies not just in physical delivery but in social cohesion, participatory governance, and long-term affordability:

Completed: 2 Hospital Lane – Hazelmead, Bridport (Barefoot Architects)
The UK’s largest cohousing project, this scheme comprises 53 affordable homes developed by a Community Land Trust. Designed over a decade, it reflects deep-rooted community values: shared common house, resident-led design, and a model that tackles loneliness and affordability through architectural and social infrastructure​ (below).

Planned: Angel Yard Co-Housing (Archio)
Another powerful example, this planned scheme in Norwich provides supported co-housing for young people leaving care. Its ultra-sustainable credentials include cross-laminated timber, microgrid-ready PVs, and a communal lifestyle model with shared cargo bikes and a “library of things”​.

Housing Association-Led: Delivering at Scale with Purpose
Housing associations continue to lead on mixed-tenure, socially oriented developments, often acting in joint ventures with councils or private partners:

Completed: Ashmere Phase 1 (PRP)
This first phase of a garden city development in Ebbsfleet comprises 281 homes, with 25% designated as affordable. Delivered by Countryside Clarion LLP, it blends shared ownership and affordable rent with walkable neighbourhoods, drawing on vernacular aesthetics to root the design in local context​ (below).

Planned: Clover House, Manchester (DK-Architects)
A net-zero housing scheme with a strong social mission, designed to provide supported housing for young people. It is focused on addressing fuel poverty through sustainable, low-energy homes. The project will be developed as a joint venture between Manchester City Council and Jigsaw Homes North.

Commercial Housebuilders: Private Delivery with Design Quality
While often criticised in the past for formulaic approaches, this year’s commercial schemes show a step-change in urban design, density, and environmental performance:

Completed: Bollo Lane (Allies and Morrison)
A major urban regeneration project in West London, Bollo Lane delivers 455 homes with a 50/50 tenure split between private and affordable housing. The scheme includes light industrial workspace, tree-lined pedestrian routes, and residents’ gardens, demonstrating a robust approach to mixed-use placemaking​

Planned: Victoria Point (Bell Phillips, 5plus Architects)
Though not affordable, this 100% private rented scheme in Manchester pushes density and typology boundaries with 679 homes, embedded in a walkable urban quarter. It also exemplifies investor confidence in good design as a value proposition (below).

Awards Programme: More Than Just Accolades
The importance of the HDAs extends far beyond publicity. Schemes entered are:

– Assessed using detailed, standardised data templates
– Included in the HDA database, a publicly searchable resource used by Homes England, GLA, and local authorities
– Visited by judges who represent both design professions and delivery agencies
– Used by agencies such as Homes England to shape their framework partnerships, procurement, and staff training
– This year, Homes England once again backs a Masterplanning Award, spotlighting not just individual buildings but the broader delivery of neighbourhoods at scale.

Reflecting Change and Shaping Policy

The 2025 shortlist reveals several clear trends:

– A growing emphasis on Passivhaus and net zero readiness
– A resurgence of council-led and housing association development
– Stronger community voice in design and delivery
– Commercial developers stepping up on public realm and sustainability

 

A full list of this year’s shortlisted projects:

Completed Projects

2 Hospital Lane – Hazelmead in Bridport is the UK’s largest cohousing project, delivering 53 climate-resilient, 100% affordable homes with shared facilities and community-led design nestled in the Dorset AONB. (Barefoot Architects)
458 Forest Road – A high-density urban infill scheme of 90 affordable one-bedroom homes in Walthamstow, combining sculptural massing and Morris-inspired detailing with generous communal roof gardens. (Gort Scott)
All Saints Passage – A mixed-use development in Wandsworth delivering 17 well-detailed private apartments with rooftop gardens and micro allotments on a former office site, sensitively integrated into a heritage setting. (GPAD)
Ashmere Phase 1 – The first phase of a garden city development in Ebbsfleet providing 281 homes in diverse typologies, inspired by local village and industrial heritage, and surrounded by walkable green infrastructure. (PRP)
Bancroft and Wickford Street – An estate regeneration scheme creating 33 affordable homes, a community centre, and a new neighbourhood park while carefully responding to the urban context. (Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects)
Broadland Gardens – A small development of 10 family homes in Plymouth around a central green, reflecting traditional local vernacular and designed for adaptability and sustainability. (Clifton Emery Design)
Bulrush Court – A mansion block of 144 affordable homes in Bromley-by-Bow delivering high-density housing with a focus on low carbon construction and strong civic presence. (Pitman Tozer Architects)
Gascoigne West Phase 2 – A major regeneration scheme in Barking with 386 homes, a community hub, and play spaces, combining sustainability, estate renewal, and placemaking. (White Arkitekter)
Hale Wharf – A waterside development of 505 homes on a slender island in the River Lea, integrating family townhouses, high-rise apartments, and new pedestrian bridges into a richly biodiverse setting. (Allies and Morrison)
Hermitage Mews, Crystal Palace – A small development of family homes tucked behind Victorian terraces in Crystal Palace, carefully arranged to maximise space and privacy. (Gbolade Design Studio)
Highgate Newtown Community Partners – A vibrant mixed-use community hub in Camden incorporating housing, leisure and social support services alongside new homes. (RCKa)
Hobbs View – Rural housing in Hampshire offering a contextual response through local materials and characterful forms. (ArchitecturePLB)
Hope Street – Transitional supported housing in Southampton for individuals moving out of homelessness, offering safety and a path to independence. (Snug Architects)
Huntley Wharf – A large riverside regeneration in Reading delivering a mix of apartments, public spaces and resident amenities along the Kennet. (PRP)
Kidbrooke Park Road North – A high-density, mixed-tenure scheme in Greenwich centred on walkability and integrated green infrastructure. (HTA Design)
Millers Quay – A canalside scheme in Wirral Waters offering modern apartments with excellent transport and waterfront connections. (Howells)
New Kingsland Housing, Bristol – Affordable apartments in Bristol delivered on a tight site with expressive brick detailing and resident-led design. (Emmett Russell Architects)
Pershore Junction – A regeneration scheme replacing a brownfield site with new homes, a community hub and a public square in Birmingham. (Howells)
Plashet Road – A residential development in Newham that sensitively re-establishes street pattern and scale through terraced infill housing. (Levitt Bernstein)
Rowan Court, Haringey – Specialist accommodation for older people in Haringey, replacing outdated provision with high-quality accessible homes. (Satish Jassal Architects)
Snow Hill Wharf – Canalside apartments in Birmingham combining luxury living with landscaped public realm and wellness amenities. (GRID Architects)
Telfer House – A compact council housing development using MMC on a constrained site, delivering sustainable infill in Camden. (Studio Partington)
The Courtyard, Ashbocking – A courtyard scheme for older people in Suffolk providing flexible homes around shared landscaped communal gardens. (Project Orange)
Urbanest Battersea – A high-rise student housing scheme in Battersea with communal rooftop terraces and views across London. (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris)
Wembley Link – New housing in Wembley integrating public realm upgrades and varied tenure in a bold, high-density format. (Howells)
Westminster Fire Station – A mixed-use conversion of a historic fire station in Westminster into new homes, community spaces and commercial units. (Openstudio Architects)
Woodside Park – A suburban development in Barnet creating a cohesive and walkable new community in north London. (HTA Design)
Wycliffe Park – A retirement village in Buckinghamshire offering independent living with shared amenities and green open spaces. (PRP)

Planned Projects:

Angel Yard Co-Housing – A co-housing community in Norwich for young people leaving care, arranged around a shared courtyard and common house. (Archio)
Avon Park – An expansion of a Wiltshire retirement village adding 69 extra care homes with upgraded communal gardens and facilities. (PRP)
Bollo Lane – A major mixed-use regeneration in west London delivering 455 homes, light industrial units and vibrant public realm. (Allies and Morrison)
Charlton and Albany – Redevelopment of two estates in Hounslow into a Passivhaus-standard neighbourhood of 211 affordable homes with courtyards and gardens. (nimtim architects)
Clover House – A net-zero housing scheme in Manchester with supported homes for young people, designed to reduce fuel poverty. (DK-Architects)
Crown Mews – A courtyard scheme in Morden delivering 8 private homes on a constrained urban site with bold detailing and sustainability features. (Harp & Harp)
Earnley Green, Manhood Peninsula – A rural development of 30 homes in West Sussex designed around a shared green lane and woodland, echoing historic village patterns. (John Pardey Architects, BD Landscape)
Englishcombe Lane – Affordable housing on a sloping site in Bath with shared gardens and community spaces, designed for biodiversity and inclusion. (Arcadis)
Grange Road – New family homes in Bowdon offering large internal spaces, private gardens and high energy efficiency within a conservation area. (Ollier Smurthwaite Architects)
Hartdene Barns, Cowden, Kent – A hamlet-style development in Kent reflecting traditional farmsteads through courtyard clusters and locally inspired architecture. (Nissen Richards Studio)
London Chest Hospital – A heritage-led masterplan reimagining a historic hospital site in Tower Hamlets with new homes, public realm and retained buildings. (Allford Hall Monaghan Morris)
Marleigh Park, Phase 2 – Phase 2 of a new district in Cambridge providing walkable neighbourhoods, public spaces and varied housing. (JTP)
Retirement Community, Chigwell – A retirement community in Chigwell with accessible homes and wellness-focused communal facilities. (RCKa)
Sawyers Close – Regeneration of a 1960s estate in Windsor to deliver energy-efficient, community-oriented affordable housing. (PRP)
Stirling Fields, Northstowe – A new neighbourhood in Northstowe with characterful homes and extensive green infrastructure connecting to the wider town. (BoonBrown Architects)
Stour Road (Fish Island East) – A high-density housing development on Fish Island East combining cultural uses and family homes with active street edges. (Henley Halebrown)
The Uplands, Palace Fields – Estate regeneration in Runcorn integrating new and existing homes with upgraded public spaces. (DK-Architects)
The Wispers Estate, Stedham – A village-style rural development in Sussex offering context-sensitive homes and pedestrian-focused design. (Re-Format)
Victoria Point – An urban quarter in Ashford delivering high-density sustainable homes with integrated green space and pedestrian links. (Bell Phillips, 5plus Architects)
Yewbarrow – A market town-inspired neighbourhood in Cumbria providing walkable streets and diverse housing types in a rural context. (OMI Architects)

Each project – whether urban or rural, council or co-housing – is a piece of the wider housing puzzle. As we head toward the announcement of winners in autumn 2025, this shortlist offers a valuable blueprint for better housing, influencing policy, procurement, and ultimately the places we call home.

 

To find out more about the Housing Design Awards, visit the hdawards.org website, where you can view plenty of details about each shortlisted scheme, and download a very useful PDF of each project crammed with drawings, images and project descriptions.