Níall McLaughlin Receives Royal Gold Medal 2026 for Architecture

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has awarded Irish architect, educator and author Níall McLaughlin the UK's most prestigious architecture prize. On behalf of His Majesty the King, he will be honoured with the Royal Gold Medal 2026 for Architecture on 30 April in London. 

The medal honours not only McLaughlin's remarkable architectural work, but also his significant influence on architectural practice. He has been teaching at the Bartlett School of Architecture for over 25 years, with stints as a visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (2012 to 2013) and as Lord Norman Foster Visiting Professor of Architecture at Yale (2014 to 2015). His commitment to teaching and promoting young talent sets standards within the profession: As an advocate for fair working conditions, transparent remuneration and an open approach to mental health, McLaughlin exemplifies an attitude that he anchors equally in practice and education. "His work not only enriches the architectural profession but also addresses its evolving challenges, making him a pivotal figure in contemporary architecture,” praised the RIBA Honours Jury. 

A medieval tithe barn served as inspiration for the Faith Museum on the grounds of Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland in northern England. © Nick Kane

Níall McLaughlin has been working as an architect for over 30 years. After completing his studies at University College Dublin, he founded his own practice in London in 1990. His portfolio is diverse, ranging from cultural and educational buildings to religious buildings, healthcare facilities and residential construction. His work challenges established ideas about architecture and urban renewal and represents a forward-looking approach that consistently focuses on environmental responsibility and cultural significance. Influenced by the belief that architectural quality arises from collective collaboration, Níall McLaughlin's projects are characterised by a deliberate restraint. Simple material palettes, elementary geometries and high light quality characterise his designs. It is noteworthy that McLaughlin does not focus on the idea of the architect's "signature” as the creator, but believes that "originality in building is rarely the way in which it is packaged and sold. A project can be incredibly original and beautifully built on account of the way the brick is bonded. Sometimes it’s the quiet thing within a project that’s original.”

Níall McLaughlin Architects used around half a million bricks to construct the exhibition building in the centre of Limerick. © Nick Kane 

Níall McLaughlin and his team impressively demonstrate the breadth of architectural language with their latest buildings: the exhibition building in Limerick weaves the local brick tradition with a striking vertical presence to create a new identity for the city. At the Museum of Faith in Bishop Auckland a restrained, barn-like extension made of Cop Crag sandstone forms a sacred-looking space that is worthy of the historical context. The Magdalene College Library in Cambridge combines classic brick architecture with contemporary spatial qualities to provide a contemplative learning environment, while Saltmarsh House on the Isle of Wight, with its filigree steel skeleton and large-scale glazing, removes the boundaries between interior space and landscape. The WongAvery Gallery in the courtyard of Trinity Hall College in Cambridge, on the other hand, features a cross-shaped structure made of light-coloured stone and concrete, which serves as a flexible music practice 

Saltmarsh House is located on the coast of the Isle of Wight, in the garden of a Victorian estate. © Nick Kane 

"Through practice, we have learned that architecture is not the production of singular objects, but an ongoing performance of development, alteration, and reinvention through lived experience. At a time of accelerating technological change in design and construction, we continue to insist on the human rituals and material practices at the heart of our discipline. Building is an act, not an object. Architecture lies in its making and the way that it shapes learning, culture, and communal life.” 
 
A free exhibition honouring the winner of the Royal Gold Medal will open on 25. April 2026 at RIBA North in Liverpool, celebrating Níall McLaughlin's life's work and displaying models and studio materials.