Recharged Hackney split-level leads winners in New London Architecture's 2025 Don’t Move, Improve! competition

New London Architecture has named the overall 'Home of the Year' winner and six other superlative projects at the culmination of the annual Don’t Move, Improve! competition, which is celebrating its 16th edition this year.

The winners were selected from the jury's 14-entry shortlist. Federico Ortiz, the Head of Programme at NLA, said: "The architects have skilfully hollowed out the existing structure, creating unexpected volumes and flows that seamlessly integrate with the house’s original heritage. The inversion of the stairs, the removal of the garage, and the subtle manipulation of sections are all brilliant yet restrained moves. The use of recycled materials has created an environmentally conscious space that is both functional and homely. It’s a profoundly intelligent approach that remains grounded, never showy—simply exemplary."

The headline 'Home of the Year' award went to the 12-year-old studio Archmongers for their Elemental House restoration of a split-level design from the 1970s in Hackney. Founders Johan Hybschmann and Anita Freeman designed the space as their personal residence, winning further acclaim from the 2025 competition's jury as the 'Materiality & Craftsmanship' category's winner for the use of recycled materials in its construction.

By adding a new concrete extension, all of which was cast in situ, Archmongers says their design opens up the existing house laterally while creating a larger kitchen and dining space. From there, the new layout unlocks the three floors to reorient the living spaces vertically. Existing walls have been removed to "reveal the logic of the house’s structure" while making it seem more "legible." The rear elevation has been opened up with sliding doors at the ground level, and the project prioritized a simplified materials palette throughout that is supposedly ideal for housing retrofits across the country.

Jurist Mary Duggan described Archmongers' winning work: "The layers of interventions at Elemental House have been very carefully considered channelling the design choices strategically. The exterior has been subtly upgraded by exchanging cladding panels and glazing with beautifully chosen systems. Internally, the volume has been entirely remastered by Archmongers to create a generous series of interconnected spaces which flow together effortlessly."

It follows their 2022 'Home of the Year' winning entry Little Brownings in the Dulwich Estate in East London.

Joining it are the six other category winners. They are Environmental Prize: Nina's House by Nina+Co with ROAR; Transformation Prize: Steel House by EBBA Architects; Materiality & Craftsmanship: Elemental House by Archmongers; Compact Design Prize: Hartley House by THISS Studio; Best Interior Design/Best Outdoor Space: RAW House by O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects; Cost Effective Prize: Hands-on Home by Natallia Tanko; and the People’s Choice Award: Terzetto by ConForm Architects.

You can check out the rest of this year's winning projects in our image gallery below.