Winners of The Pineapples 2022 Awards announced!

Aberfeldy New Masterplan is a 20-year regeneration scheme in East London developed by a joint venture between EcoWorld London and housing association Poplar HARCA. A new masterplan was submitted in 2021 which focuses on stakeholder engagement and the community being able to co-design.

The judges were impressed by the scale and sustained duration and development of this project over many years. The team clearly demonstrated how aspirations for the place had changed over the years and how they had responded. They showed a deep understanding of all parts of the community at individual level. The result amounted to a social contract between the stakeholders. Judges felt that this year was Aberfeldy’s year: having learned a lot the team has shown how it is doubling down. Judges noted the focus on safety and inclusivity, and celebrated the impressive meanwhile use, creating a new use for the high street and a focus for discussion. They applauded the uplifting presentation.

The Judges were Danna Walker, Founder and CEO of Built by Us, Neil Murphy, Director of TOWN, Romy Rawlings, Commercial Director of Vestre.

Also shortlisted:

Barking Riverside Learning Forum, Barking and Dagenham, London – Barking Riverside Limited

Grosvenor Square, Westminster, London – Grosvenor

Lancaster West Future Neighbourhood Vision, Kensington & Chelsea, London – Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team and Lancaster West Residents’ Association with Arup

Wick Street Design Project, Wick, Caithness – Wick Community Council, Caithness Community Partnership and The Highland Council with Sustrans

Woolwich Speaks, Greenwich, London – Royal Borough of Greenwich

The Pineapple for Place of Year 

Kaolin Court is a small ‘sociable’ housing development set around a shared garden. Balancing privacy with a space that encourages interaction, this place offers a scaleable solution to liveable housing at urban density.

The judges thought that this place breaks the mould, establishing the concept of social architecture to create a place that truly enhances the life of the community and encourages people to connect. They applauded the team for challenging the status quo to create something unique and beautiful. They noted the possibilities to accommodate homes in a way that enriches community and respects the environment, while supporting residents to live their lives. They described this place as an exemplar and were excited about the opportunities to scale this approach.

The judges were Hani Salih, Researcher, Quality of Life Foundation; Lisa Woo, Head of Placemaking – Meridian Water, Enfield Council; Jonathan Wilson, Managing Director, CITU.

Also shortlisted:

Trinity Buoy Wharf, Tower Hamlets, London – Urban Space Management

Hawley wharf, Camden

The Design District, Greenwich, London – Knight Dragon with HNNA

Hawley Wharf, Camden, London – LabTech with Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Wembley Park, Brent, London - Quintain

Hackney Gardens, Hackney, London – Thornsett, The London Diocesan Fund and The Parochial Church Council of St John at Hackney with DLA Architecture

The two Pineapples for Public Space

The Claypits is a large 17ha area of post-industrial site that straddles the canal. This project’s greatest achievement is its redesignation from ‘Vacant and Derelict Land’ to a ‘Local Nature Reserve’.

This impressive project transforms the lives of people in one of the most deprived areas in Europe. Judges were impressed by the range and level of engagement and stakeholder management, which enabled a detailed understanding of the needs of all parts of the community. They noted the significant challenge in making this site accessible for the first time in hundreds of years, and in balancing the needs of all stakeholders. They praised the impressive outcome and the joy and fun that it offers the local community – a regeneration in the truest sense. The commitment to inclusion was evident, with the team overcoming physical barriers in a sensitive way to create an asset that can be enjoyed by all. Judges were impressed by the focus on health outcomes, and the fact that the project unlocked the potential for much needed new homes on adjacent land.

Elephant Park's central park is a stunning 2-acre green oasis including community space with expansive lawns, mature London plane trees, Elephant Springs, a landmark water playscape, and pedestrian walkways nestled among naturalistic planting.

The judges thought this project exemplifies what can be achieved when the team focuses on every detail, and stands ready to respond and adapt. Judges applauded the willingness to look beyond the red line, considering the place in its wider setting and how to blend and spread the benefits that it brings. They were particularly impressed by the culture of learning and adapting, and of gathering evidence and knowledge. The focus on working with academic research bodies to collect and openly share empirical data measuring health and wellbeing, was praised, as was the brave decision to go car-free. Judges described the approach as a new benchmark for large developments and hoped to see the outcomes of this projects embedded as a starting point for future large sites.

The judges were Daisy Narayanan, Head of Placemaking and Mobility, City of Edinburgh; Magali Thomson, Project Lead for Placemaking , Great Ormond Street Hospital; Will Sandy, Founding director, Will Sandy, Design Studio.

Also shortlisted:

Exchange Square, City of London, London – British Land with DSDHA

South Quay Plaza, Tower Hamlets, London – Berkeley Homes with HTA Design

Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham, London – London Borough of Lewisham with BDP

Glasgow Science Centre - Outer Space, Glasgow – Glasgow Science Centre with Austin-Smith:Lord

The two Pineapples for Future Place

Riverside Sunderland will be a sustainable carbon-neutral development created by zero-waste construction processes using MMC. Decentralised energy networks will support decarbonisation. Part of a masterplan that will double the resident population of Sunderland city centre from 2,500 to 5,000 and increase employment by 50%, when complete, 10,000 people will work at Riverside Sunderland. New leisure spaces include music venues such as the Auditorium and £80m Arena and a new digital library, described as the UK’s best.

Presented to the judges the very week that Sunderland celebrated their promotion, the judges were excited to also recognise the council's ambition for the future of Sunderland itself. The judges were excited by these ambitious plans that unlock the infrastructure needed to develop across the Weir and reconnect with the place's natural assets: the gorge, the Weir and surrounding landscape. They saw this project as undoing the harm done over time to the city and welcome these exciting plans to grow the number of people living and working in the city centre in an inspirational and net zero way.

This project regenerates, diversifies and expands the 57-acre Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn. The masterplan includes 616 homes including affordable housing, offices, a conference centre, affordable artists’ studios and a Vertical Farm. The residential mix ranges from one-bed flats to five-bed houses, senior living accommodation and 20-bed extra-care facility.

An inspirational and forward-thinking masterplan, the judges saw this project as an excellent example of how commissioning through competition can be a route to more ambitious future places. Impressed by the set of principles established for this post-industrial site, it seems critical that going forward these ideals are enshrined in planning or other documentation to ensure they are not diluted in the delivery of this forward-thinking project, having taken a strong, systems-based approach to environmental and social sustainability.

The judges were Ben Adams, Founding Director, Ben Adams Architects; Julian Tollast, Quintain, Head of Master planning; Ines Gavelli, Associate, David Chipperfield Architects.

Also shortlisted:

One Waterloo, Lambeth, London – HB Reavis

Fellowship Square Place, Phase 2, Waltham Forest, London – Countryside Partnerships and LB Waltham Forest, Metropolitan Workshop

Pydar Street, Truro – Treveth Development LLP, Cornwall Council and Inner Circle Consulting with PRP architects

Quayside Quarter, Ealing, London – Galliard Homes with EPR Architects

Southwest St Helier Visioning Framework, Jersey – Jersey Development Company with Gillespies

Yate Town Centre Masterplan, Bristol – South Gloucestershire Council with Arup

The Pineapple for Future Place: Public Realm

The Marlborough Sports Garden is a rare outdoor space providing much-needed access to physical activity, sport, and leisure pursuits. This plan will continue the focus on the local public health agenda, and the move to mitigate against childhood obesity and inactivity.

The judges really felt that future public realm needs more covered open spaces that provide for a variety of activities, to be truly all-season and all-inclusive. They were impressed by the way this project works hard on all levels to create a year-round public space that contains something for everyone. They felt its community-led engagement was authentic. In particular, the environmental strategy in terms of material reuse was welcomed by the judges who felt it represented the right approach to future development. The broadening of the offer - with covered seating, rooms and areas offering shade and shelter - pointed to a more inclusive future for this space, designed to promote healthier lifestyle and living in the city, supported by the centre's links to the pedestrian street and cycle routes. Rooms and spaces available for hire suggest an economic longevity - an area where many public realm projects struggle.

The judges were Steve Taylor, editor, researcher and journalist; Dominic Spray, Design Director, Hadley Property Group; Dr Bridget Snaith, Partner, Shape Landscape & Urban Design.

Also shortlisted:

Newcastle City Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne – Newcastle City Council with LDA Design

Reimagining Great Ormond Street, Camden, London – Great Ormond Street Hospital with LDA Design

East Street Placemaking and Public Realm Masterplan, Bristol – Bedminster Business Improvement District, Bristol City Council, Dandara, Deeley Freed, A2Dominion, Firmstone and City & Country with McGregor Coxall

Reimagining the centre of Balsall Common, Coventry – Berkswell and Balsall Parish Councils and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council with URBAN Silence and Arup

The Pineapple for Creative Retrofit

This transformation of the Grade II listed Rugby Radio Station into a 6FE secondary school lies at the heart of this wider development of 6,200 homes. The C Station building has been restored, alongside two new teaching blocks, a sports hall and outdoor sports facilities. Dating back to 1925, the Rugby Radio Station site was once a communications hub of global significance, and is a well-loved local landmark.

The judges were enthusiastic about this innovative project which transformed Rugby Radio Station into a secondary school for a new community. They saw this as visionary patronage from Urban&Civic to build the school first, before the rest of the masterplan, as a symbol of their long-term commitment to the community. The transformation is so extreme, that it takes a leap of imagination to reconceive a radio station into a school. You wouldn't think to look at that building to turn it into a secondary school. The interventions by van Heyningen and Haward deftly manage the restoration and new elements. Amazing to learn how the industrial history of the building has become part of education. The judges were moved by the impact that this project is having on the lives of its students, and felt it was educating the placemakers of the future. It sets a good precedent - a big front-end expenditure - seeing the industrial heritage of a place as an opportunity rather than a constraint.

The judges were Paul Monaghan, Executive Director, AHMM; Phil Stallwood, Development Manager, CEG and Catherine Dewar, Historic England.

Also shortlisted:

Bloqs, Enfield, London – Enfield Council with Meridian Water, Bloqs and 5th Studio

British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) Headquarters, Westminster, London – BAFTA and The Crown Estate with Benedetti Architects

Kampus: Mishull Warehouse and Minto & Turner buildings, Manchester – Capital & Centric with shedkm

The Ada Belfield Care Centre and Belper Library, Belper, Derbyshire – Derbyshire County Council with Glancy Nicholls Architects

Waltham Forest Town Hall, Waltham Forest, London – Waltham Forest Council with Hawkins\Brown and Churchman Thornhill Finch Landscape Architects

Station South, Manchester – Station South Community Interest Company

The two Pineapples for Activation

The Lexicon partnered with Bracknell Forest Council to create a town-centre event to encourage visitors back to the town centre.

The judges praised this project as a flagship example of successful partnership working and retail renewal for the benefit of all. This collaboration fused twin aims of the council and landowner to create an activation that engaged and educated visitors about forest management and safeguarding, while also supporting the local economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. The activation successfully reached every age group and demographic, and the impact was well measured, quantified and recorded. Judges were impressed by the lasting legacy created.

The Gaia’s Garden primary focus was to bring young people from underprivileged backgrounds to enjoy green space whilst reconnecting with both the city and nature to improve community wellbeing.

The judges praised this rare example of meanwhile use of a small, stalled site in the City of London, bringing clear social value to an underutilised space. They were especially impressed by the rigour of social value measurement and the co-creation of the project with young people’s groups. Judges described this project as best practice that would create a significant gain if replicated by small developers across the country.

The judges were Elizabeth Peckett, Head of Asset Manager, Allied London; James Lord, Partner, HTA Design and Christopher Arthey, Planning & Development Manager, Axiom Developments.

Also shortlisted:

Broad Meadow, Oxford – Oxford City Council with LDA Design

Figures of Change Art Trail, Brent, London – Quintain

Canary Wharf Estate Greening Phase One, Tower Hamlets, London – Canary Wharf Group with Gillespies

Illuminated River, City of Westminster, London – Illuminated River Foundation with Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and artist Leo Villareal

Not So Secret Garden, Altrincham – Bruntwood and Trafford Borough Council

The two Pineapples for Activation: Re-Store

Nourish Hub will use food as a tool to help the most socially excluded people by providing nutritious food and education, feeding 200 people every day and providing opportunities for locals of all backgrounds to work, volunteer, share skills, and take cooking classes.

The judges felt this project responded to the needs of local people, not only in the services provided – which range from Meals on Wheels to cooking classes – but also in the welcoming nature of the space. The model set up by UK Harvest that seeks to hand the project over entirely to the community within four years was also highly praised.

With no budget and through the reuse of materials, an empty space was transformed into an inclusive, free, safe and comfortable family hub with some elements to encourage play and the flexibility to hold meet-ups including Sing & Sign, breastfeeding groups, pushchair parking and sufficient seating.

All the judges agreed that the impact this project has had is incredible, particularly for the low budget of just £3,000 it was working with. A wide range of people have also benefited from the intervention, including mothers, babies, toddlers and teenagers, alongside the wider users and tenants of the Guildhall Shopping Centre in Exeter, which has seen a huge uplift in usage and footfall.

The judges were Tim Dudas, Programme Manager and Strategic Designer, Design Council; Jonny McKenna, Director - Dublin, Metropolitan Workshop; Natascha McIntyre Hall, Gleeds Advisory Services.

Also shortlisted:

STORE Store, Camden, London – Argent LLP with STORE Store

Hypha Studios, Broadwalk shopping centre, Bristol – BBS Capital with Hypha Studios

Culture Palace, Enfield, London – Enfield Council with Dallas-Pierce-Quintero

Elephant Stores, Southwark, London – Lendlease with MARK London

The two Pineapples for Place in Progress

Over halfway through its timeline, with an estimated completion date of 2026, so far Elephant Park has delivered 1,784 new homes, an energy centre supplying net-zero-carbon heat and hot water to the residents and businesses, with additional capacity for a further 1,000 properties outside the development’s boundary, 32 new retail units for cafes, shops, restaurants and fitness operators, and a brand new 2-acre park at the heart of the masterplan.

The judges felt that a real effort had been made to make Elephant Park a welcoming community hub, from the signage to the landscape detailing, to the mix of retail unit sizes serving a range of independent traders. The security is light touch in the public spaces and on the visits, it was genuinely buzzing with a mix of all ages. The area has a fraught history in the context of gentrification with the demolition of the Heygate Estate, and the judges appreciated the efforts of the development team to be generous and responsive in its community engagement and outreach.

Phase One, which is now complete, features One Chamberlain Square and Two Chamberlain Square, while Phase Two features One Centenary Way (completing 2023), new public squares and connections through the city centre and two further commercial buildings.

The judges remarked on the challenge of turning this car-centric city into a civic centre, reconciling old and new to create a place that Birmingham citizens would take to their heart with pride. A broad spectrum of people find their way to Paradise Birmingham on a special day out, and it's made a promising start with its mix of functions, places to sit and gather - even play chess. It's hoped that with enthusiasm and passion, a greater mix of amenities and the further reduction of road dominance will result in the success of its early development.

The judges were Blossom Young, Head of Operations, Poplar HARCA; Deborah Broomfield, Doctoral Researcher, Leeds Beckett University and Justin Nicholls, Founding Partner, Fathom Architects.

Also shortlisted:

Battersea Power Station, Wandsworth, London – Battersea Power Station Development Company

Sugar House Island, Newham, London – Vastint UK with Planit IE

Wood Wharf, Tower Hamlets, London – Canary Wharf Group

East Wick + Sweetwater, Hackney, London – Balfour Beatty Investments and Places for People

The Pineapple for International Future Place

The Putat Jaya sub-district in Indonesia used to be a mix of local businesses, however with changing government policies the vibrant life of the neighbourhood suffered a drastic change. This project aims to regenerate the district and uplift the voices of the people, to create fair design standards and guidelines whilst also focusing on social and economic issues.

The judges were impressed by the sensitive and community-led approach to the changing of this red-light district after the banning of prostitution. The engagement process was far-reaching and included lots of different people, from children to previous sex workers, and public and private bodies. The sensitivity of that engagement led to a genuineness in the strategic approach and its tactical urbanism, which included small prototypes to test scenarios. Efforts to rebrand the neighbourhood took into consideration a community that was not ashamed and didn't want to lose or obfuscate its own history, and found a way to speak of the neighbourhood in the context of resilience. The process felt like a true form of community care led by the people who live there. The judges would like to see the project continue to foreground the community by founding land trusts or seeking other proactive ways of ensuring the people at the heart of this place are not displaced as a result of its renewal.

The judges were Sophie Thompson, Director, LDA Design; Dr. Samantha Biglieri, Assistant Professor, School of Urban & Regional Planning, Toronto Metropolitan University; Tim Dudas, Programme Manager and Strategic Designer, Design Council.

Also shortlisted:

MilanoSesto, Milan, Italy – Milanosesto SpA with Foster + Partners

Mixity, Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands – Schiphol Area Development Company with Arup and Karres en Brands

City Edge, Dublin, Ireland – South Dublin County Council (SDCC) and Dublin City Council with Maccreanor Lavington

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