They include Associated Architects’ railway station redevelopment for the University of Birmingham. The long-awaited Midland Metropolitan University Hospital by HKS, Cagni Williams and Sonnemann Toon is also in contention.
The hospital’s construction was delayed by the collapse of contractor Carillion in January 2018 and it finally opened in late 2024.
Cullinan Studio’s retrofit of Dudley College’s Animal Studies Centre and Pringle Richards Sharratt’s new-build Staffordshire History Centre represent projects connected to educational institutions.
Moxon Architects and Jacobs Engineering’s Kepax walking and cycling bridge across the River Severn in Worcester, which opened in December 2024, is also among those in contention, as is Jazz House by Errand Studio, a ‘low-energy, single-storey’ home on a former derelict garage site in Hereford, and Corner Farm Taw by Fitzwilliam Architects, a restored Grade II-listed farmstead in the Cotswolds.
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital by HKS, Cagni Williams, Sonnemann Toon.
Credit: Jack Hobhouse
In last year’s West Midlands regional awards, BDP’s College of Arts & Society at Coventry University was named Building of the Year, for its £43 million refurbishment of two Brutalist buildings.
Howells won for two buildings – a new café and kitchen at the National Trust’s Grade-I listed Hanbury Hall; and the One Centenary Way offices, built over a busy road tunnel in Birmingham, for which Simon Pope was named West Midlands Project Architect of the Year.
Commenting on this year’s shortlist, RIBA West Midlands jury chair and BDP architect director Svetlana Solomonova said: ‘The selected projects demonstrate a considered and intelligent approach to working with complex sites, existing buildings and infrastructure, showcasing thoughtful strategies for retention, reuse, resource conservation, and resilience.’
She added that the projects focus on inclusivity, sustainability and long-term value.
‘Together, these projects elevate architectural quality while responding sensitively to context, purpose and the needs of the communities they serve,’ she said.
Kepax Footbridge by Moxon Architects.
Creidt: Simon Kennedy / London Architectural Photography
All projects shortlisted for RIBA Awards will be visited by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced in the spring.
The winners will then be considered for several RIBA Special Awards, including the RIBA Sustainability Award and RIBA Building of the Year, before being considered for a RIBA National Award, to be announced in summer.
The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize – the UK’s best new building – will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects and announced in September.
The Stirling Prize winner will be announced in October.
Shortlist for 2026 RIBA West Midlands architecture awards