Alistair Hardaker
Image: Palace of Westminster during a winter sunrise, 2025 © House of Commons
RIBA judges praise restoration as “masterclass in conservation and craftsmanship” after landmark suffered from crumbling stones and ageing clock
Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower has been nominated for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize, marking the first entry of a conservation project in the award’s history.
RIBA judges called the nominated landmark a “veritable masterclass in conservation and craftsmanship”.
Chris Elliot, managing director of UK Parliament’s Strategic Estates team, said the nomination “celebrates the successful restoration of the UK’s most photographed landmark”, in collaboration with architects Purcell, who made the awards submission.
“As custodians of a UNESCO World Heritage site, we are proud to have maintained and preserved the Elizabeth Tower as a symbol of our national heritage.”
UK Parliament said prior to the restoration, the landmark “suffered from many of the issues seen in buildings of its age, including crumbling stones, rusty ironwork, leaking roofs and, in this case, an aging clock”.
The conservation work has already earned it a RIBA National Award, RIBA London Award, AABC Conservation Award, Michael Middleton Civic Trust Award and Digital Construction Project of the Year Award.
Parliament’s Strategic Estates team has also been nominated for the RIBA Client of the Year award, “acknowledging their role in championing excellence throughout the project”.
