Building Tour - Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities by Hopkins Architects
AIA UK recently welcomed Jonathan Watts, Director at Hopkins Architects, for a presentation on one of the UK's most ambitious academic buildings — the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities at Oxford. The timing was apt: the project had just been confirmed as the largest Passive House certified building in the UK and the first Passive House concert hall in the world.
Funded by a gift from philanthropist Stephen Schwarzman, the Centre consolidates seven of Oxford's humanities faculties — previously scattered across 26 buildings — into a single new quarter on the city's northwest edge. Alongside faculty offices and seven libraries, the building houses a rich programme of public performance venues: a 500-seat concert hall, a 250-seat flexible lecture theatre, a recital hall, and a black box experimental performance lab. Perhaps most significantly, it is the first building Oxford University has ever intentionally designed as a public facility from day one — a deliberate inversion of the inward-looking college typology the University is famous for.
Watts took us through the full arc of the project, from the original 2019 competition through planning submission in March 2022 and breaking ground in January 2023. Much of the early design work, including intensive stakeholder engagement across seven faculties, happened remotely during COVID — a process he described as surprisingly effective. At the heart of the design is a top-lit Great Hall atrium that holds the building together while giving each faculty its own identity and presence onto a shared internal forum. It's clearly well-loved already; Watts noted that finding a seat there since students moved in has become something of a challenge.
The presentation also gave real depth to the technical delivery. Much of the building was prefabricated — 152 individually designed facade panels in Clipsham stone and buff brick — allowing the frame to be topped out by May 2024 at roughly a floor a month. The performance venues use box-in-box acoustic isolation throughout, with the concert hall's 25-tonne roof trusses requiring one of Europe's largest mobile cranes to install.
On Passive House, the ambition was initially framed as designing to "Passive House principles" rather than pushing for full certification — a deliberate choice that kept stakeholders from getting risk-averse too early. The outcome, a weighted average U-value of 0.12 W/m²K and airtightness of 0.66, more than vindicates the approach.
For AIA UK members, the project speaks to so much that is front of mind right now: managing complex multi-stakeholder briefs, meeting high-performance sustainability targets, and leveraging prefabrication to deliver on demanding programmes. The public programme opens in April 2026 — well worth putting on the radar for a visit.
Written by Taylor Rogers, AIA
AIA UK Design Awards 2026 Jury Announcement
We are excited to introduce the jury for the 2026 AIA UK Design Awards!
This year’s jury brings together an exceptional group of leaders from global practice, academia, and sustainability. Their combined experience reflects the diversity of today’s built environment and sets a high standard for recognising design that delivers real impact. The awards are grounded in the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, ensuring that every project is assessed through a holistic lens, from design quality and environmental performance to social impact and long-term value.
Jury Chair
Mouzhan Majidi, FAIA
CEO, Zaha Hadid Architects
Mouzhan Majidi, FAIA, leads one of the world’s most influential architecture practices and brings over 35 years of experience delivering complex projects across six continents. Before joining Zaha Hadid Architects, he spent nearly three decades at Foster + Partners, where he became CEO. As a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, he has been recognised for his contributions to the profession and his leadership in advancing design excellence. His work has consistently pushed innovation in design, sustainability, and user experience, particularly in the aviation sector where he has helped redefine global benchmarks. Alongside practice, he has served as a UK Business Ambassador, promoting design excellence and the value of the built environment worldwide.
Jurors
Elie Gamburg, AIA
Principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox
Elie Gamburg is a Principal at KPF with a strong track record of delivering ambitious urban and architectural projects. His work focuses on creating places that are both commercially successful and meaningful for people. He has led major academic and research-led developments, including projects for King’s College London and NYU Shanghai, as well as landmark schemes in Canary Wharf and Dubai. Elie is also deeply engaged in shaping the future of cities through his work on innovation districts and his teaching at leading universities.
Natalia Uribe
Cities Director, BDP
Natalia Uribe brings a global perspective to urban design, with nearly 25 years of experience working across more than 25 countries. Her work focuses on creating inclusive, resilient, and thriving communities through integrated design approaches. She has led large-scale masterplans, regeneration strategies, and city frameworks, working with both public and private sector partners. Natalia is known for her ability to connect disciplines, people, and ideas to deliver places that respond to both local needs and global challenges.
Mina Hasman
Sustainability Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Mina Hasman is a leading voice in sustainability and climate action within the built environment. At SOM, she drives projects that aim to deliver measurable environmental impact at scale. She has played a key role in shaping industry standards, including contributions to the UK’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard and the development of whole life carbon methodologies. Her work spans practice, policy, and global advocacy, and she continues to influence how the industry responds to climate challenges.
Paolo Zaide
Assistant Head of School, University of Westminster
Paolo Zaide is an architect, academic, and curator whose work explores the future of cities in the context of climate change. His research focuses on how urban environments can respond to challenges such as sea-level rise and long-term environmental shifts. Alongside his academic leadership, he has taught at leading institutions and curated exhibitions that engage the public in conversations about urban futures. His work brings a critical and forward-looking lens to the design of cities.
Call for Entries
Submissions for the 2026 AIA UK Design Awards are open, and we encourage you to take part.
We are looking for projects that demonstrate clear ideas, strong design thinking, and meaningful impact. The awards align with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, encouraging submissions that respond to environmental performance, community value, equity, and long-term resilience.
Whether you are working in architecture, urban design, planning, landscape, interiors, research, or beyond, this is your opportunity to share your work with a global audience. You do not need to be an AIA member to submit.
We also encourage Part 2 students to submit to the Excellence in Student Architectural Research, Noel Hill Award. This is a chance to showcase your research and receive up to £3,000 in grant funding to support the next stage of your work.
The submission deadline is 18 April at 5:00 PM GMT.
If you have any questions or need support with your submission, please contact vicepresident@aiauk.org.
We look forward to seeing your work.
Written by Paolo Mendoza, Assoc AIA
Movie Night - Modernism, Inc. The Eliot Noyes Design Story
10 March 2026
We returned to the BFI for the final screening of our winter season with the documentary Modernism, Inc: The Eliot Noyes Design Story. The film provided a compelling look at the life and work of Eliot Noyes, the mid-century architect and designer who helped shape the design programmes of some of America’s most powerful postwar corporations. The documentary places Noyes’s work within the broader context of the post-war economic expansion in the United States, when corporations increasingly embraced Modernism as a way of expressing innovation, clarity, and progress. Taking inspiration from Noyes’s well-known motto, “good design is good business,” the film traces his early career and his interest in industrial design, a field that was just beginning to transform how everyday objects—from furniture to technology—were conceived and marketed.
The story then moves to Noyes’s remarkable tenure at IBM, where his belief that design should be embedded in every aspect of a company’s thinking proved revolutionary. Rather than treating design as a final layer applied to finished products, Noyes championed a holistic approach that integrated architecture, product design, graphics, and corporate identity. This philosophy helped position IBM as a technological and design leader during the early era of computing and established a model that would later influence companies such as Apple in the development of design-driven products.
Beyond his strategic vision, Noyes possessed a remarkable ability to assemble and guide teams of talented designers. Under his direction, IBM adopted the elemental forms and bold colours that came to define its visual identity, while products such as the iconic Selectric typewriter became enduring symbols of mid-century design. His influence extended beyond technology as well—most notably in the transformation of Mobil petrol stations, which evolved from visually cluttered roadside stops into elegant and recognisable architectural forms characterised by clean lines and simple circular elements.
Through interviews with colleagues, collaborators, and members of his family, the film paints a portrait of a designer whose ideas were truly ahead of their time. Noyes’s work reveals the power of design to shape not only objects and buildings, but also the identity and culture of organisations.
The discussion following the screening was lively and engaging, with members and guests expressing deep admiration for Noyes’s work and ethos. Many attendees reflected on how profoundly his ideas continue to influence contemporary design practice. While the evening marked the end of our winter screenings, several participants admitted they were already looking forward to the next series—and a little saddened that they would have to wait until the autumn for the programme to resume.
Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the winter season. We look forward to welcoming you back in the Autumn for another series of inspiring architectural films and conversations.
Written by Chris Musangi, AIA
Movie Night - NUVOLA An Open Project for the City
03 February 2026
We began this year’s film programme on 3 February with a screening of NUVOLA – An Open Project for the City, a documentary that explores the transformation of the Lavazza Nuvola Headquarters and its role in the regeneration of Turin’s Aurora district. Conceived by Virginio Briatore with creative direction by Francesca Molteni and directed by Luca Caon, the film offers a thoughtful portrait of how architecture can shape the life of a neighbourhood while reflecting the identity of a company deeply rooted in its city.
The documentary traces the story of Lavazza’s headquarters through a series of thematic chapters that reveal the many layers of the project—from archaeological discoveries and museum spaces to its public garden square, restaurants, and the revitalised former power station. Narrated by architect Cino Zucchi, the film explores the project from multiple perspectives, highlighting how the building functions not only as a corporate headquarters but also as a cultural and civic destination for the surrounding community.
One of the most compelling aspects of the film is the way it captures life within the complex through the voices of the many people who interact with it daily: archaeologists uncovering the remains of an early Christian basilica, chefs Ferran Adrià and Federico Zanasi animating the culinary spaces, landscape designer Camilla Zanarotti describing the public garden, and residents and visitors who experience the building as part of the evolving fabric of the city.
The evening was made even more special by the presence of Gretel Stein, Lavazza Digital Manager, and Emma Dita, Lavazza PR Manager, who joined us for the screening and the lively discussion that followed. Both have worked within the Nuvola complex, and Gretel’s connection to Turin made the discussion particularly meaningful. Hearing first-hand reflections from people who have experienced the building in their daily working lives added a valuable and personal dimension to the conversation.
The discussion following the film was lively and engaging, with attendees reflecting on the role of architecture in shaping urban life and the ways in which projects such as Nuvola can foster new relationships between companies, communities, and cities.
Many thanks to everyone who joined us for this first screening of the year. We look forward to welcoming you back for many more evenings of architectural cinema and discussion in the months ahead.
Written by Chris Musangi, AIA
Building Tour - Urbanest Battersea, A New Benchmark for Passivhaus Student Living in London
Photo credit AHMM
On 9 October, we had the opportunity to tour Urbanest Battersea in person. Urbanest positions itself as London’s leading student accommodation provider, with nine distinctive properties across central London. With 853 student beds distributed across buildings reaching up to 19 storeys, Urbanest Battersea is also Europe’s largest student accommodation development constructed to Passivhaus standards. Having previously toured Urbanest City by Hopkins Architects in June, I can say without reservation that Urbanest’s approach meaningfully redefines contemporary student housing.
The student rooms are well considered, each incorporating a bed, built-in desk and chair, wardrobe, and a private shower room. Comfort cooling and heating are provided alongside an air-filtration system and augmented acoustic dampening. Clusters of rooms share fully furnished communal kitchens with generous dining areas. Public amenities are extensive and of a notably high standard, including a gym, cinema room, rooftop terraces offering expansive city views, and a variety of communal study spaces. Attention to detail and finishes is consistently strong throughout.
Designed by AHHM, Urbanest Battersea recently became the UK’s largest certified Passivhaus development after passing a demanding series of airtightness tests. Located on the south side of Battersea Park Road, opposite the emerging Battersea Power Station district, the scheme comprises three student residential buildings and a dedicated commercial building, forming a highly sustainable and thoughtfully articulated ensemble.
Three of the four buildings are connected by a shared podium, with heights ranging from 11 to 19 storeys and creating a dynamic skyline. Our guide, Flora Genel, explained that the staggered building heights and stepping massing are deliberately arranged to frame key views, while the podium unifies the scheme around landscaped courtyard gardens. She also highlighted the glazed terracotta façades—rendered in a vibrant palette of red, green, and blue—which reference the area’s industrial heritage as well as the surrounding brickwork, local flora, and sky.
The design, like many contemporary student residential schemes, encourages social interaction. The three interconnected residential cores (colour-coded to match the terracotta façades) converge at podium level. This area also accommodates a public house, café, and an Enterprise Business Unit (EBU), which offers a flexible community hub for cultural events and workspace. The combination of a socially oriented design strategy, careful materiality, low-energy performance, and exemplary Passivhaus credentials—in addition to outstanding living and amenity spaces—positions Urbanest Battersea as a standout model for student accommodation in London.
Written by Gregory Fonseca, AIA
Photo credit AHMM
AIA UK and AIA CE - Venice Architecture Biennale Study Trip
AIA UK, in collaboration with AIA Continental Europe, hosted a two-day study trip to the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 on 8–9 November. The visit brought together members from across the UK and Europe to explore this year’s curatorial theme, Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective.
The program began with an architectural visit to Banca Generali by David Chipperfield, where participants examined how contemporary design can respond sensitively to Venice’s historic fabric. The discussion focused on materiality, proportion, and the integration of new interventions within protected urban environments, reinforcing the importance of contextual awareness in architectural practice.
On the second day, participants explored the Biennale exhibitions at the Giardini and Arsenale as a group. The 2025 theme, Intelligens, invited reflection on how architecture navigates the intersection of natural systems, artificial intelligence, and collective human knowledge. Through international pavilions and installations, architects gained insight into emerging approaches to climate adaptation, technological innovation, and socially responsive design.
The trip strengthened collaboration between AIA chapters in the UK and Europe, creating a shared platform for professional exchange and critical dialogue. By combining study, cultural immersion, and peer discussion, the Venice program supported architects in expanding their global perspective and deepening their understanding of how intelligence—natural, artificial, and collective—shapes the future of the built environment.
The co-organizers were Morgan Danner, AIA & Lulu Yang, Assoc AIA.
Written by Lulu Yang, AIA
