Al-Jawad Pike's staggered Chowdhury Walk wins the 2024 Neave Brown Award for Housing

The fifth Neave Brown Award for Housing presented as part of RIBA’s Special Awards has been given to London’s Al-Jawad Pike for their Chowdhury Walk infill housing scheme in Hackney. The award is given each year in honor of the late architect and social housing pioneer, recognizing the best new designs in the important typology from around the UK.

The name of the development honors the legacy of Dr. Abdul Chowdhury, a local urologist who succumbed to the coronavirus in April of 2020. It includes 11 total units (7 of which are set aside as social rents) and breaks from the normative linear terrace house arrangement that is accustomed to British housing by way of a staggered sequence of volumes offering both enhanced privacy and passive solar gain.

The firm’s co-founder, Jessam Al-Jawad, said: "It demonstrates what is possible when a local authority elects to develop its own brownfield sites to address housing need and enhance the local neighbourhood. The design shows that even with a limited budget, creative solutions can produce social housing that offers moments of joy. It's a clear commitment to tackling the housing crisis by employing young local architects to deliver innovative solutions for the community."

Astrid Smitham, Jury Chair and winner of the 2023 Neave Brown Award for Housing, added her opinion, stating: "Attention to detailing and quality of materials and finishes runs through every aspect of the project both internally and externally. Hackney Council’s aspirations and support are integral to the project, prioritising architect-led design and construction quality for residents, as well as an ambitious approach to procurement.”

The project was also included in this year's shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize and Stephen Lawrence Prize. Al-Jawad Pike was founded by UCL Bartlett School alums Jessam Al-Jawad and Dean Pike in 2014, following two ten-year tenures with David Chipperfield Architects in London.