Brick House awarded a RIBA National Award

Brick House, at Port Loop in Birmingham, has today been awarded a RIBA National Award for Architecture 2023.

The judges praised the scheme as “ambitious in its approach. Its designs have the potential to transform the way in which we live and interact with our neighbours. There is a genuine sense of community as you walk through this place. It is a bold typology of housing that can act as a test bed for future housing schemes.”

The housing scheme is part of the wider Port Loop neighbourhood which we have also masterplanned. We’ve worked closely with clients and developers Urban Splash, the Canal & River Trust and Places for People to design and deliver this distinctive terraced housing typology.

Howells Partner, Shauna Bradley, says: “This RIBA National award recognises the value of a truly creative and collaborative client team, that shares a vision to deliver something special for the canalside community at Port Loop. Brick House is a central part of this vision; a modern terraced house driven by key principles of light and space centred around large communal gardens, that encourage people to spend more time outdoors in an ever-changing landscape.

“Our aim is to make places that enrich lives, and so the biggest achievement is that there is a genuine sense of community at Port Loop, and it is swiftly becoming a test bed for future living.”

Jonathan Falkingham MBE, co-founder of Urban Splash, said: “We are delighted to have received this award for Brick House. Urban Splash is proud to have a longstanding relationship with Howells – and this scheme is another fantastic example of our shared vision to pioneer new ideas. Inspired by mews and terraced homes of old, Brick House adopts the best qualities of these historic homes and reinvents them for contemporary lifestyles.”

Marcus Chaloner, Head of Placemaking & Design at the Canal & River Trust, said: “We’re delighted that Howells’ Brick House at Port Loop has been recognised with a RIBA National Award. At the Canal & River Trust, we believe that life is better by water, and we have been working closely with Howells, Urban Splash and Places for People, to develop a sustainable, waterside neighbourhood, full of opportunities to appreciate and explore waterway beauty on the doorstep. Howells’ Brick House skilfully delivers an elegant waterfront block, that celebrates the delight of urban waterside living.”

Congratulations to the clients, developers, our design team who worked tirelessly throughout and all the other winners.