New South London council housing dubbed a ‘living landscape’ wins this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize
Lion Green Road, a council housing development in Coulsdon, south London, has won the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize, beating projects including two Cambridge University schemes. The award recognises its approach to building homes at scale while responding to a difficult, sloping site and maintaining a strong connection with nature.
Designed by Mary Duggan Architects with RUFFARCHITECTS for Croydon Council, the development has 157 homes across five 13-sided blocks, with capacity for up to 635 residents. The homes are split equally between private ownership and social rent, and the site includes balconies, play areas, sensory trails and residents’ allotments, with views across nearby parkland and the Surrey Iron Railway.
- Lion Green Road won the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize.
- The Coulsdon development provides 157 homes for private owners and social renters.
- Its design works with the sloping site and shared landscape.
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Council housing is provided or supported by local authorities, often at rents set below those in the private market. Croydon Council commissioned Lion Green Road in Coulsdon, where the steep site and nearby parkland shaped how the homes could be arranged.
Mary Duggan Architects and RUFFARCHITECTS designed five blocks containing 157 homes, for private ownership and social rent. Balconies, play areas, sensory trails and allotments connect residents’ shared spaces with the surrounding landscape.
The development is intended to show how a large housing scheme can fit a challenging site while providing homes and outdoor space. The RIBA Stirling Prize is the Royal Institute of British Architects’ annual award for a building judged to make a significant contribution to architecture.