The complex, designed by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, situated in Bermondsey, comprises 59 homes and communal facilities, including a rooftop garden, a courtyard, and a shared kitchen.
"Working closely and imaginatively with United St. Saviour’s Charity, we’ve created an environment that reduces loneliness, encourages connection, and supports a good later life. The charity has made social housing aspirational, enabling people to grow old locally with the right support, benefiting both residents and the wider Southwark community. We’re honoured that the RIBA Stirling Prize recognises the power of architecture to create places that genuinely transform lives."
Stephen Witherford on behalf of Watson Mann Architects and United St. Saviour’s Charity.
In Bermondsey, United St Saviour’s Charity (UStSC), a Southwark-based charity of almost 500 years, set out the ambition to re-interpret the traditional almshouse, offering high-quality social collective housing for older people.
Appleby Blue Almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann Architects. Photograph by Philip Vile.
The site was originally council-owned, occupied by a disused care home. The private developer purchased it and largely funded the construction of the social housing, as the off-site affordable provision for a large residential development in Bankside. UStSC will operate the almshouse in perpetuity, with rents capped at social housing levels.
"This project is a clarion call for a new form of housing at a pivotal moment. Built against the backdrop of two crises, an acute housing shortage and a growing loneliness epidemic among older people, Appleby Blue offers a hopeful and imaginative response, where residents and the surrounding community are brought together through the transformative nature of the design."
Ingrid Schroder, speaking on behalf of the RIBA Stirling Prize Jury, Director of The Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture.
