Lion Green Road, a 157-home council housing scheme in Coulsdon, south London, has been awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize 2026. The development was designed by Mary Duggan Architects with RUFF Architects and built for Croydon Council by main contractor CField Construction under a £34m deal.
The scheme is arranged across five blocks on the site of a former car park. The plot is a difficult one, sloping across an eight-metre change in level, and the design uses those shifting levels and views to organise the homes rather than flattening the ground. The jury described the result as a new "living landscape" for the 635 residents.
The layout also opens a new connection between the busy Lion Green Road and a distinctive area of green parkland beyond the development, using the change in levels to frame views out to the landscape.
Lower carbon through simpler construction
Lion Green Road was able to cut carbon emissions by using efficient construction methods, simple finishes and a more streamlined building process.
Jury: density without losing quality
Chris Williamson, RIBA President, speaking on behalf of the Stirling Prize jury, said that at a time when more homes are urgently needed, Lion Green Road shows density can be achieved without compromising the quality of the places created.
He said a consistent specification, with subtle variation in height and orientation across the five blocks, offers housing at scale without uniformity. The architects had created a new kind of garden neighbourhood, he added, one that balances privacy and generous views with a strong connection to nature.
Williamson called the scheme thoughtful, resourceful architecture that proves even the most challenging of sites can be turned into truly distinctive places for people to call home.
Scheme at a glance
- Homes: 157 across five blocks
- Location: Lion Green Road, Coulsdon, south London
- Client: Croydon Council
- Architects: Mary Duggan Architects with RUFF Architects
- Main contractor: CField Construction
- Contract value: £34m
- Residents: 635
- Site: former car park, levels varying by eight metres