Stephen Lawrence Prize 2025 awarded to St Mary's Walthamstow
St. Mary's Walthamstow. Photo: Tim Crocker.
LONDON.—
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced St Mary’s Walthamstow by Alex Spicer at Matthew Lloyd Architects as the winner of the Stephen Lawrence Prize 2025.
Founded by Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE and the Marco Goldschmied Foundation, the annual Prize was established in 1998 in memory of Stephen Lawrence, a teenager and aspiring architect who was the victim of a fatal racist attack in 1993.
The award focuses on encouraging and nurturing new talent, and exclusively recognises projects led by an early career project architect, typically someone who has qualified within five years prior to the project’s completion date.
St Mary’s, the oldest and — with its Grade II* listed status — most protected building in Walthamstow, has been sensitively repaired and transformed into a flexible, inclusive and welcoming space for the whole community to enjoy, as well as a place of worship.
The jury were impressed by the architects’ clever adaptations to its interior and their addition of a single storey exhibition space — in place of the pre-existing car park — to successfully reorientate the building to the north and give passersby a chance to see what’s going on inside.
The expert discretion of the conservation works and new enhancements which have been carried out, ranging from the painstaking installation of underfloor heating to the original stone floor, and the addition of new secondary glazed doors inside the east entrance which are thoroughly in keeping with their surroundings, elevate the project.
The church benches have been removed to make way for flexible community space with full level access, while a new cafe servery can be concealed behind folding panels if needed. The wall in the south vestry has also been opened up to improve access to a previously underused area. Everything combined has transformed St Mary’s Walthamstow into a welcome, accessible space for more of the diverse community it serves.
Alex Spicer, Director Matthew Lloyd Architects said:
“Our project at St Mary's has been transformative, both to this valuable historic building and its community. It's a true honour to see our work here recognised, and a privilege to see a project which has personally been so formative, awarded with this prestigious prize. Much credit must go to our client Revd Vanessa Conant - without brave, tenacious and visionary clients, projects like this could never happen. We wish to thank the jury for their engagement, consideration and time. Finally, we would like to recognise the skill, dedication and collaboration of all those involved in realising this special project.”
Matthew Goldschmied, Jury Chair, Managing Trustee at the Marco Goldschmied Foundation, said:
“St Mark’s Walthamstow has become more than a just an old church building behind a railing. It is now a place that defines and supports the gentle confluence of diverse neighbourhoods.
From the early client conversations about repairing and maintaining the church building, it appears inevitable that the ultimate scope of ambition would extend so much further. Alex Spicer was there at this earliest stage, and he led the client through a process of architectural evolution, whose outcome brings delight to those who live nearby.
This project has enriched many lives already and will continue to do so for generations to come. Alex was instrumental in orchestrating the transformation of this site, delivering a little hope into a world that needs it.”
