Níall McLaughlin, 63, is the winner of this year's Royal Gold Medal in Architecture, one of the world's most prestigious honours. The award, presented by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) on behalf of the monarch, recognises McLaughlin's significant influence on architectural practice, critical discourse, and design education.
McLaughlin's work is characterised by its understated elegance, formal clarity, and ascetic use of materials. He has designed a range of projects, from the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre for Worcester College, Oxford, to apartment blocks in Silvertown, east London, which showcase his ability to balance form and function.
A frequent collaborator with Oxbridge colleges, McLaughlin has also become known for bringing dignity and decency to social housing. His work at Peabody, a not-for-profit housing association, has been praised for its use of dichroic glazing that changes colour in response to light, making it a striking addition to urban landscapes.
Teaching is another fundamental part of McLaughlin's oeuvre. He has held stints as professor of architectural practice at Oxford Brookes and the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, where he continues to teach today. His approachable and supportive teaching style has made him an outstanding role model for young architects.
According to Riba president Chris Williamson, McLaughlin's designs "share a sense of care and grace that represent the very best of architecture." The gold medal is a testament to his enduring impact on the profession and his ability to inspire others through his work.
McLaughlin's work is characterised by its understated elegance, formal clarity, and ascetic use of materials. He has designed a range of projects, from the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre for Worcester College, Oxford, to apartment blocks in Silvertown, east London, which showcase his ability to balance form and function.
A frequent collaborator with Oxbridge colleges, McLaughlin has also become known for bringing dignity and decency to social housing. His work at Peabody, a not-for-profit housing association, has been praised for its use of dichroic glazing that changes colour in response to light, making it a striking addition to urban landscapes.
Teaching is another fundamental part of McLaughlin's oeuvre. He has held stints as professor of architectural practice at Oxford Brookes and the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, where he continues to teach today. His approachable and supportive teaching style has made him an outstanding role model for young architects.
According to Riba president Chris Williamson, McLaughlin's designs "share a sense of care and grace that represent the very best of architecture." The gold medal is a testament to his enduring impact on the profession and his ability to inspire others through his work.
. His work is all about simplicity and elegance - you can tell he's a fan of understatement, which I think is super underrated in design circles.
. But McLaughlin's approach is all about balance - form and function don't have to be at odds with each other.
. It's no surprise he's still teaching today - he's got so much knowledge and experience to share!
. He's not just a great architect, he's also a passionate advocate for good design in our cities.
he's all about balance, form and function - reminds me of those iconic designs by Le Corbusier, but with a more British twist 
i mean, who wouldn't want to design something that's both elegant and practical? 
his use of materials is so underrated, btw... dichroic glazing that changes colour? 
game changer for urban landscapes! 
Níall McLaughlin's win is totally well deserved, I mean who else can rock understated elegance like that? 
his projects are always so elegant & functional, i love how he balances form & function in every build. 
can't wait to see what's next for this genius architect 
I think it's awesome that Níall McLaughlin, 63, won this year's Royal Gold Medal in Architecture 
But at the same time, I'm a bit skeptical about whether all these fancy medals are just giving him a pat on the back for doing what he was meant to do in the first place. I mean, architects have been making beautiful buildings for centuries, right? 
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. and teaching is such a big part of his legacy - who wouldn't want to learn from someone who's so approachable and supportive?
, but can we imagine if it was, like, a bold bright pink or something instead of that beige? 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be known for bringing dignity and decency to social housing? it's like he's single-handedly changing the game with his dichroic glazing tech 
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. Seriously though, I think this award is a great recognition of his work, and it's awesome that someone's finally giving social housing some respect 
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Like, isn't that just the most amazing thing? And he's been doing this for ages too, like 30+ years. I'm sure it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but from what I've seen of his work, he seems to be on a roll. I mean, I can see why they'd want to give him this award, he's definitely got the whole 'care and grace' thing down pat