The Judges

A broad mix representing the professions, government departments and agencies, leading residential clients and designers, all individuals dedicated to improving design quality.

There are two sets of awards made each year. About half go to ‘Projects’: these schemes must have detailed planning permission but can be pre-construction, partly completed or partly occupied. Judges do not usually visit schemes entered as a Project but take a view on their potential.

Awards for Completed schemes are made to a Completed development, or to a scheme that is built out as a series of distinct buildings/phases which can be visited without site PPE. Completed awards are never made to schemes without judges visiting. This is currently done using a mix of physically distanced personal attendance, supported by accompanying drone cameras, with interviews conducted with key parties including residents in a safe manner, mostly recorded on Zoom to present to the rest of the judging panel.

Private or public-sector new builds (and any combination of), conversion or renovation schemes in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible, provided they are three or more dwellings. Schemes including non-residential uses may be entered provided housing constitutes a major element. Most C2 Planning uses are considered for the Awards, but buildings with shared dormitory or ward-like sleeping quarters are not eligible.

Judging is carried out by a panel consisting of representatives from each Awards sponsor:

Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Homes England, Greater London Authority (GLA),  Department for Health (DH), National House Building Council (NHBC), Home Builders Federation (HBF), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) and the Landscape Institute, Urban Design London, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Design South East, Good Homes Alliance, and Design for Homes (this judge is also the rapporteur responsible for reports on winning and shortlisted schemes including scripting the films of winners). The awards manufacturing partner, Velux, also has an architect judge on the panel.

Dan Roberts

Homes England Senior Specialist - Planning, Enabling & Design

Dan Roberts

Good Design is responsive to its context, in both form and function, and gives people joy. The best designs have elements that are translatable and reusable, through time and place; they provide innovation and learning. They create ‘people places’.

Good design is
Leigh Johnson

Homes England Head of Master Development and Design

Leigh Johnson

Good design is

Good design is
Dr Gemma Jerome

Building with Nature, Director

Dr Gemma Jerome

Good Design is resilient to change and uncertainty. I want to see places which allow people and wildlife to flourish together, now and long into the future.

Good design is
Maja Luna Jorgensen

Project Manager GLA Housing & Land Design Steering Group

Maja Luna Jorgensen

Good design is key to shaping and improving places where people want to live and spend their time.

Good design is
Madalina Petrescu

Senior Architect, Velux

Madalina Petrescu

Good design is the result of creating optimal environment for people, their physical and mental health and their wellbeing, in a good relationship with the local context and without negative impact on the climate.

Good design is
Dav Bansal

RIBA, Director of Glenn Howells Architects

Dav Bansal

Good design is a combination of clear thinking and a strong narrative from the outset, underpinning what is most important for the place and the communities who will be affected by it

Good design is
David Birkbeck

Design for Homes CEO

David Birkbeck

Don’t ever underestimate the value of daylighting, a view (ideally verdant), ample storage

Good design is
Andy von Bradsky

MHCLG Head of Architecture

Andy von Bradsky

Creating places and homes that create maximum value for people who use, live near or visit in terms of utility, beauty, innovation and the economic use of resources

Good design is
Sue Bridge

RTPI, director of Sue Bridge Consulting

Sue Bridge

Well designed buildings and the proper planning of the spaces between and around buildings is essential to the creation of excellent places

Good design is
Jane Briginshaw

Design South East review panel chair, Design England principal

Jane Briginshaw

Good design means valuing people and making great places for them.

Good design is
Dr Louise Brooke-Smith OBE, FRICS, MRTPI

RICS, International Development & Strategic Planning Advisor, Consilio Strategic Consultancy

Dr Louise Brooke-Smith OBE, FRICS, MRTPI

An intelligent and clever treatment of the built environment that allows me to enjoy my surroundings, whether it's the home I share with my family, or the office I share with my colleagues or the spaces where I spend my spare time

Good design is
Gareth Capner

Chair of the Housing Design Awards

Gareth Capner

Good design is all about responding to and, in turn, improving context

Good design is
Mehban Chowdery

NHBC London Director

Mehban Chowdery

Good design is

Good design is
Esther Kurland

Urban Design London director

Esther Kurland

What is good design? It's how places relate to people, and because of this the definition does not change, nothing much change. As Vitruvius, the ancient roman said, good design is about ensuring places work well, last and look good

Good design is
Michael Lowndes

RTPI, Michael Lowndes Urban Planning

Michael Lowndes

For me good housing design is about responding to context and making great places

Good design is
Kevin McGeough

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation Head of Place making

Kevin McGeough

Good housing design should promote homes which foster opportunities to enjoy a high quality of life for their residents whilst also making a significant contribution to creating great places, encouraging interesting and vibrant streetscapes

Good design is
Andrew Ogorzalek

RIBA, founding partner PCKO Architects

Andrew Ogorzalek

Good design should be simple, honest and efficient, resulting in buildings that offer contemporary living for today and adaptable homes for tomorrow

Good design is
David Roberts

RICS, director of Igloo

David Roberts

Good design demonstrates a deep understanding of locality, creating specialness, identity and enjoyment of the place by residents and neighbours

Good design is
John Slaughter

HBF director of external affairs

John Slaughter

Good design is

Good design is
Lynne Sullivan OBE

Good Homes Alliance chair, LSA studio principal

Lynne Sullivan OBE

Following a peripatetic childhood, I was driven to devote my architectural career to creating places and buildings which embody the Vitruvian principles of practicality, resilience and beauty - now acknowledged by the United Nations as being key principles of sustainable development - and qualities which should be present in good design

Good design is
Atam Verdi

RICS, Aspinall Verdi director

Atam Verdi

Good design qualities are those where aesthetic and function combine well; can be replicated and have longetivity.

Good design is