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William Sutton Prize6 August 2025

William Sutton Prize shortlist announced as Clarion marks 125th anniversary

Winners will be able to take home a share of £125,000 in funding, with shortlisted applicants bidding for a grant of up to £50,000 for the sustainability category and up to £25,000 for the connected communities category.

Clarion Housing Group has revealed the finalists for the sixth William Sutton Prize as the organisation marks its 125th anniversary and celebrates the legacy of its founder.

The shortlist for The William Sutton Prize for Sustainability includes innovative proposals ranging from transforming agricultural waste into insulation panels and adaptive heating systems to support decarbonisation objectives to a new model transforming overlooked urban spaces into new homes using reclaimed building materials.

Five projects have been shortlisted for The William Sutton Prize for Connected Communities, developed in partnership with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA). These include an AI-powered digital “super-neighbour” to bring communities together, the creation of a new outdoor gym in Bromley built from knives removed from the streets, and a programme that empowers under-represented young social housing residents aged 14-16 to become environmental innovators and future STEM leaders.

Winners will be able to take home a share of £125,000 in funding, with shortlisted applicants bidding for a grant of up to £50,000 for the sustainability category and up to £25,000 for the connected communities category.

In addition to funding, the winners will also receive a tailored package of business support and the chance to collaborate with Clarion and sector-leading experts to turn their bright ideas into reality.

Named after the Victorian philanthropist whose legacy created Clarion Housing Group, The William Sutton Prize aims to honour that legacy by turning groundbreaking concepts into real-world solutions that make lasting improvements to the built environment and local communities.

Clare Miller, CEO of Clarion Housing Group

“Innovation is the engine that drives progress in sustainability and in building stronger, more connected communities. At Clarion, we believe that empowering people to turn bold ideas into reality is essential for building a better future, and that’s why we created The William Sutton Prize. The William Sutton Prize not only unlocks funding – it unlocks potential. It’s about backing the thinkers, the doers, and the dreamers who are shaping homes, places, and lives for generations to come, and it’s inspiring to see such cutting-edge, creative thinking reflected in this year’s shortlist.”

Clare Miller, Chief Executive of Clarion Housing Group

Past William Sutton Prize winners include well-known architecture practices including Bell Phillips Architects, Mole Architects and Jas Bhalla Works, alongside social enterprises and charities such as the Hackney School of Food and Pride of Place Living.

As part of Clarion’s 125th anniversary celebrations, this year has seen the launch of a new William Sutton Prize scholarship programme. Delivered in partnership with the London Neighbourhood Scholarship Trust and financial education specialists Blackbullion, the initiative aims to increase diversity in architecture and sustainability, providing funding to support students from low-income households and social housing backgrounds through their degree courses.

Winners and scholars will be announced at an awards ceremony on 25 September sponsored by The Wiggett Group.

Shortlisted entries

The shortlisted entries for each category of the sixth William Sutton Prize are as follows:

The William Sutton Prize for Sustainability list of shortlisted entries

The William Sutton Prize for Connected Communities list of shortlisted entries

More information

To find out more about The William Sutton Prize visit www.clarionhg.com/william-sutton-prize.