The Davidson Prize

In 2020, The Davidson Prize was launched in memory of the pioneer of architectural visualisations, Alan Davidson, to address contemporary challenges in housing and living through innovative design thinking, multidisciplinary collaboration, and compelling visual communication.

In these past five years, we've seen some amazingly brilliant, radical ideas and solutions for our current and future housing needs. Tackling issues ranging from community regeneration to the plight of seaside towns, homelessness, co-living, and developing for biodiversity, the Davidson Prize has offered a forum for thinking outside the box.

While the Prize has always been an ideas competition, it hasn't stopped the winning teams from exploring how they can make their ideas into a reality.

As we prepare to announce the theme for the 2026 edition, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the success of the past five years and give you an update on what the winners have been up to.

2021 WINNER

HomeForest by Haptic Architects, Squint/Opera, Coda to Coda, LionHeart and Yaoyao Meng

The inaugural Davidson Prize-winning project was HomeForest, a digital and physical solution addressing the psychological challenges of home working grounded in the principles of biophilia.

The project draws on nature’s restorative benefits and the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku which means forest bathing.

After winning the prize, Journey (which Squint/Opera is now a part of) helped to develop HomeForest into an Apple Vision Pro experience in 2024, featuring a digital twin of the user’s home virtually augmented to bring artificial nature into indoor environments.

2022 WINNER

Co-Living in the Countryside by Charles Holland Architects, Quality of Life Foundation, artist Verity-Jane Keefe and urban designer Joseph Zeal-Henry

The 2022 winning project was Co-Living in the Countryside, a development model for affordable rented rural co-housing.

The scheme combines owner-adaptation, customisation and personal choice with a community-based governance model, allowing for individuals to co-exist while sharing resources, skills and spaces.

Since winning the Prize, Charles Holland Architects has been awarded two rural housing projects which came directly out of their winning concept: Orchard Farm – a self-build housing scheme in Kent – and the Phoenix Project in Lewes – where they are working with Human Nature on a hugely ambitious scheme for a new sustainable community.

The team has continued to explore concepts of high-quality rural housing and empowering community-led development in their practices and teaching work.

2023 WINNER

Helping Hands by Studio MUTT Architects, Neighbourhood, The Independence Initiative, Hugh Baird College, Islington Hostel Outreach, Amber Akaunu, Peter O’Neil and Dead Good Poets Society

The 2023 winning project was Helping Hands, a proposal for a nurturing communal landscape for people facing homelessness – co-created by residents, neighbours and specialist support organisations.

Since winning the prize, Helping Hands has been using their prize fund to develop their scheme further, their concepts and visuals forming the basis of their plans to bring the idea to life.

The team has put together a pre-application submission, receiving positive response from the council, and has secured Arup as a partner to undertake site surveys. They are launching a fundraising campaign at the start of 2026 to progress their idea to the next stage.

The project’s progress can be followed on The Independence Initiative’s Instagram account: @TheIndyBootle.

2024 WINNER

Apartment Store, by Studio Saar, Landstory, Proper Good Films, BAS Consultancy, and Stories

The 2024 winning project was Apartment Store, a proposal to reinvent vacant retail space as homes and a buzzing circular economy hub.

This year, Studio Saar has hosted five design surgeries in Taunton with the local community to discuss the Apartment Store proposal, exploring how the building could act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the town centre and support new models of community-led development.

The team is currently pursuing fundraising opportunities to advance the project through a detailed feasibility study.

2025 WINNER

300 Homes within a Union Street Mile by Clifton Emery Design, Nudge Community Builders, Millfields Trust, Plymouth Energy Community and Devon and Cornwall Planning Consultants

This year's winning project was 300 Homes within a Union Street Mile, a model for the delivery of community homes in Union Street, Plymouth, that can be applied to high streets across the UK.

Since winning this, the team has developed a boardgame that encourages community-led discussions around proposed developments as a grass-roots approach to public engagement. The interactive modular board game was developed in collaboration with Hayes Davidson and piloted at the annual Union Street Party in Plymouth this September.

Marie Chamillard, Director of The Davidson Prize, said:
“I never cease to be amazed by the breadth of creativity, ingenuity and care that our participants put into their entries every year. 5 years on, the Davidson Prize has reached a level of recognition beyond our expectations, and developed into a community of movers and shakers, who are so supportive of each other's ideas. I hope all who take part have as much fun as I do with this initiative.”