A proposal led by Studio Saar is named winner of the Davidson Prize for 2024

This year’s Davidson Prize winner has been selected by organizers of what has become one of the UK’s most interesting architectural contest’s fourth edition. 

The design chosen calls for the repurposing of an Art Deco department store in Somerset into a showcase of the circular economy, acting both as a “defibrillator in increasingly hollowed-out town-centres” and a viable housing option for ‘Generation rent’ – the targets of the 2024 prize’s brief titled ‘Rethinking Home – Adapt and Reuse.’

The ‘Apartment Store’ proposal from Studio Saar, Stories, BAS, Landstory and Megaphone Creative divides the uppermost community-owned and co-designed floors from the lower replete with a common gathering area and finished on top by a rooftop garden. The project also took home the People’s Choice Award – a first in Davidson Prize history. 

Amandeep Singh Kalra, the Chair of the 2024 Davidson Prize jury, said: “It is no secret that the built environment accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions and although the industry is waking up to this, more still needs to be done to help drive the debate forward if we are to make a difference. This year’s Prize provided the opportunity for creatives to join forces to find tangible housing solutions while tackling the climate crisis. Although choosing the winner was tough, we felt that Apartment Store would not only provide new, sustainable homes but would also address the challenge that high streets throughout the UK are facing, turning them back intro thriving hubs for the community. The jury could all see themselves living there – and clearly those voting in the People’s Choice agreed with us!”

Their £10,000 first place finish was followed by runners-up Robin Hood Co-Living Community (Alma-nac, Constant SD, Eric Guibert, and Mark Blackwell) and Harlow Re-New Town (OEB Architects, YAA Projects, Nick Bano,  Dominic Humphrey, Stuti Bansal). A special Chair’s Highly Commended prize was also awarded to The Pylon Network proposal from Ground Practice. As always, the Davidson Prize is presented as part of the London Festival of Architecture taking place until the end of the month at various locations acorss the capital.