Retirement day centre in London wins prestigious architecture award
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named a retirement day centre in London as the winner of the prestigious Stirling Prize, awarded to the UK’s best new building.
The John Morden Centre, designed by architecture practice Mæ, provides day care for residents of Morden College, a retirement community, in Blackheath. The new centre complements existing buildings on the Grade I-listed college grounds, including an almshouse and chapel, both attributed to Sir Christopher Wren.
The building is arranged as a series of red brick ‘pavilions’ housing care and social spaces, stitched together by a central timber ‘cloister’. A striking, zinc-clad roof and high chimneys echo those of its 17th century neighbours.
RIBA said the centre carefully integrated medical facilities with a range of warm and natural-feeling recreational spaces to encourage connections and counter isolation, including an art room, hair and nail salon and café. The theatre provides a backdrop for larger scale events, from parties to tribute performances.
The building uses simple and effective low carbon techniques. The use of materials, such as cross-laminated timber to form the structure, has reduced embodied carbon in the construction process, while lime-based mortar will enable future reuse of the brick cladding. Passive ventilation, utilising the building’s chimneys, minimises the operational energy needed to heat and cool the centre.
Speaking on behalf of the RIBA Stirling Prize jury, Ellen van Loon said: ‘The John Morden Centre is a place of joy and inspiration. It sensitively and seamlessly integrates medical facilities and social spaces, delivering a bold and hopeful model for the design of health and care centres for the elderly. Creating an environment that lifts the spirits and fosters community is evident at every turn and in every detail.
‘This building provides comfort and warmth, with thoughtful features designed to prevent isolation. It illustrates how buildings can themselves be therapeutic – supporting care and instilling a sense of belonging. Great architecture orients people so they can thrive, and this building is exemplary at achieving exactly that.’
Alex Ely, founding director of Mæ, said: ‘The John Morden Centre has been a really fulfilling project to work on. At a time when adult social care is in a perilous state, this award demonstrates that there is hope for the sector and the project offers up a model for others working within health and care – inspiring them to create environments that positively impact on people’s mental and physical health.’
Image: giorgio-trovato
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