From practices rebuilding roofs of war-torn buildings in Ukraine to the transformation of a former lingerie factory into a weekend villa, the Dorfman Prize celebrates innovation in architecture worldwide.
The Royal Academy of Arts will soon crown the winner of its prestigious £10,000 (€12,000) Dorfman Prize, an honour awarded to forward-thinking architects who push the boundaries of their field.
This year’s shortlist spotlights four remarkable practices – b+ from Germany, Livyi Bereh from Ukraine, Salima Naji from Morocco, and TEN from Switzerland and Serbia – each praised for their commitment to addressing the urgent issues facing architecture today.
In the words of Sir Lloyd Dorfman CBE, an emeritus trustee of the Royal Academy Trust and a founding partner of the award, the prize “seeks out the most exciting architecture internationally”, celebrating people and collectives who are pioneering creative responses to the needs of our time.
The winner of the prize is being revealed at a ceremony on 31 October 2024 at the Benjamin West Lecture Theatre in Burlington Gardens.
Here’s a closer look at each of the four projects this year:
bplus.xyz (Germany)
bplus.xyz (b+) are a collaborative architecture practice dedicated to reimagining and updating existing structures. Rejecting the notion that newer is inherently better, they work creatively within existing regulations to create dynamic spaces.
This principle is exemplified in their office and workshop, housed in a towering concrete silo, part of an old factory in what was once East Berlin, where they aim to develop a larger urban project.
Notable projects include MAGNUS+ in Hamburg, a mixed-use redevelopment of a former ship engine factory, as well as the transformation of a former lingerie factory in Potsdam into a brutalist-style weekend villa.
Livyi Bereh (Ukraine)
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Livyj Bereh has been reconstructing the roofs of damaged homes, schools, and community buildings in the country.
Based in Kyiv, their work began on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Since May 2022, they have restored over 300 roofs across the Charkiv, Černihiv, and Kyiv regions at a cost of around €2000 per roof.
Alongside this hands-on restoration work, Livyj Bereh raises awareness globally through exhibitions, documenting the cultural and architectural heritage threatened by the conflict.
As the Royal Academy jury says, “their work embodies a gesture that gives hope to the people who live in these areas. To provide architecture that defies the destruction of neighbourhoods, especially in a moment that is about erasure, is of deep importance.”
TEN studio (Switzerland and Serbia)
Recognised by the Dorfman Prize jury for their clear, almost graphic architectural style, TEN operates like a “record label” with offices in Zurich and Belgrade, blending open design tools and collaborative formats.
Social engagement is at the core of their work. A House for Five Women, for instance, is a co-housing project in Bosnia-Herzegovina designed for single, socially disadvantaged women.
Developed in partnership with Hazima Smjalovic, NGO Nas Izvor, Engineers Without Borders, and the Gradačac municipality, it features five private rooms surrounding shared living and garden spaces that balance individual and community needs.
Salima Naji (Morocco)
Since 2017, 53-year old architect and anthropologist Salima Naji has led the extensive restoration of Agadir, Morocco, a city devastated by an earthquake in 1960.
Born in Rabat, Naji studied art and architecture in Paris and holds a PhD in anthropology, which shapes her multidisciplinary approach – melding aesthetics, technical expertise, material economy, and deep community engagement.
In Morocco, a country frequently impacted by earthquakes, including in 2023, Naji’s work combines local techniques and modern solutions, such as wood-reinforced stone walls for earthquake resilience, which she shares with local workers.
The Royal Academy states that: “Her work is not only beautiful, but anthropological and highly intellectual.”
The winner of the Dorfman Prize is being revealed at a ceremony on 31 October 2024 at the Benjamin West Lecture Theatre in Burlington Gardens.
