Alison Brooks Architects

Alison Brooks Architects, based in London, is heralded as one of the most transformative and influential architectural practices in the UK. Since its founding in 1996 by Alison Brooks, the firm has been a crucible of innovative design, fusing cultural research with architectural creativity to produce buildings that are not only visually striking but deeply embedded in their contexts. This approach has earned the firm over seventy awards for its design excellence, including the prestigious 2020 Dezeen Architect of the Year and BD Housing Architect of the Year. Remarkably, Alison Brooks Architects is the only UK practice to have been awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize, the Manser Medal, and the Stephen Lawrence Prize, underscoring its exceptional contribution to the field​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

The practice's portfolio is diverse, encompassing large-scale masterplans, mixed-use developments, higher education buildings, private houses, and public buildings for the arts, all marked by a distinctive sculptural design language. Current projects highlight the firm's engagement with urban transformation and include flagship towers in King’s Cross and Tottenham Hale, a high-density urban quarter in Surrey, BC, and a mixed-use tower in Toronto’s zero-carbon waterfront neighbourhood​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

One of Alison Brooks Architects' most celebrated projects is the Accordia development in Cambridge, a testament to the firm's commitment to creating housing that is both sustainable and innovative. The project, completed in partnership with Feilden Clegg Bradley and Maccreanor Lavington, won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2008, distinguishing itself with a mix of loft-style apartments and maisonettes that prioritize diversity in unit types​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

The practice has also demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement and urban renewal. Projects like Ely Court in the South Kilburn Estate exemplify this, transforming a once isolated estate into a vibrant and inclusive urban area. This project, among others, illustrates ABA’s ability to work closely with local authorities and stakeholders to deliver significant social and physical regeneration​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Alison Brooks Architects' ethos. The Smile, a temporary pavilion designed for the London Design Festival in 2016, showcases the firm's experimental approach. Created in collaboration with the American Hardwood Export Council and Arup, this structure is a feat of engineering and design, winning multiple awards for its innovative use of cross-laminated timber and its striking, immersive architectural experience​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

The firm’s approach to educational spaces is equally visionary. The Exeter College Cohen Quad in Oxford blends modernity with tradition, incorporating sustainable materials like Bath limestone and American Black Cherry wood, while its distinctive curved roof clad in stainless steel shingles pays homage to the city's architectural heritage and signals a bold, contemporary identity for the college​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​.

Alison Brooks Architects' approach is rooted in a deep belief in architecture as a social art that can enable new forms of civic identity and contribute to the creation of generous, inclusive communities. Their projects are not just buildings; they are places of interaction, reflection, and connection, contributing to the urban fabric and community life​ (Alison Brooks Architects)​. Through their work, Alison Brooks and her team continue to push the boundaries of architectural design, proving that innovation can coexist with history and that architecture can be a powerful tool for social and environmental progress.