RIBA Client of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the shortlist for its Client of the Year 2023 award. 

Presented since 1998, the annual RIBA Client of the Year award celebrates the key role that a good client plays in the creation of great architecture.

This year, the following four client groups have been shortlisted, in recognition of their role in delivering inspiring regeneration and community-focused projects:

• Onion Collective CIC for East Quay, Somerset, by Invisible Studio - A combination of galleries, workshops, a community centre and five holiday lets, East Quay in Watchet is the vision of the local, female-led, not-for-profit company Onion Collective. It is an extraordinary model for community-led economic regeneration - financed by community fundraising - and a testament to the efforts of a number of individuals who have worked collectively to create a versatile, warm piece of townscape.
• The Sports Trust for F51 Sports Park, Kent, by Hollaway Studio - The Sports Trust have been shortlisted for their project in Folkestone - the ‘world’s first multi-storey skatepark’. Featuring concrete skateboard bowls, a boxing club and a climbing wall rising up through the building, this dynamic space is home to a series of social and multifunctional spaces for young people in the local community. Through this project, The Sports Trust has created an exceptional space for diverse groups within the community.
• Kirkleatham Parochial Church Council for St Hilda's Church and Kirkleatham Parish Centre, North Yorkshire, by Chance de Silva - Kirkleatham Parochial Church Council have been shortlisted for the regeneration of a 1960s community church and parish centre in Redcar. The client steered this deceptively simple project through a maze of funding submissions, land deals and negotiations, transforming a failing building into a place that is warm and welcoming both for the church and the wider community. 
• London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Create London, Be First and the GLA for A House for Artists, Barking, by Apparata - London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Create London, Be First and the GLA have been shortlisted for this ambitious model for shared working and living. Following a six-year effort by the client team, the five-floor apartment block provides affordable accommodation and workspace for artists in exchange for delivering free creative programmes via a street-facing exhibition space. Its success is demonstrated through how quickly the artists have built trust and strong connections with the local community to deliver social value and cultural impact.

Chair of the RIBA Client of the Year 2023 jury, Denise Bennetts, said:  “Great clients are vital to creating great buildings and places. This year’s shortlist illustrates not only the ingenuity and commitment involved in making great architecture happen, but the incredible benefits that such projects can bring. From breathing life into existing structures and regenerating towns, to creating spaces that bring people and communities together, every client on this year’s shortlist is to be celebrated for their creativity, vision, and endeavour.”

The winner of the RIBA Client of the Year 2023 will be announced at the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremony on Thursday 19  October at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester.

This year’s jury comprised: Denise Bennetts (Chair), Founder of Bennetts Associates, Mitchell Brand, Director (Land & Marketing) at Thornsett Group and Ben Wildsmith, Area Sales Manager at Ibstock.

The RIBA Client of the Year award is sponsored by Ibstock.