A light-filled 1970s home renovation that “seamlessly integrates” with its original character has been named London’s home of the year by Don’t Move, Improve! 2025.
Designed by architecture studio Archmongers, the split-level home in Hackney was selected as the overall winner of the annual award from a 14-strong shortlist.
Named Elemental House, the renovation was praised by the jury for its “subtly upgraded” exterior and series of updated interior spaces that “flow together effortlessly”.
“The layers of interventions at Elemental House have been very carefully considered channelling the design choices strategically,” said jury member Mary Duggan.
“The exterior has been subtly upgraded by exchanging cladding panels and glazing with beautifully chosen systems,” she added.
“Internally, the volume has been entirely remastered by Archmongers to create a generous series of interconnected spaces which flow together effortlessly.”
Now in its 15th year, the annual Don’t Move, Improve! competition celebrates the best home improvement projects across London and is held by New London Architecture (NLA), with which Dezeen is a media partner.
Elemental House oversaw the addition of an extension at the home’s rear, which was complemented by several structural improvements throughout the interior constructed from a material palette of brick, steel, concrete and timber.
As well as claiming the title for this year’s best new home renovation, the project by London-based Archmongers was also awarded the prize for Materiality & Craftsmanship and praised by the jury for its engineering precision and use of recycled materials.
The Materiality & Craftsmanship award forms one of nine additional prizes given as part of the Don’t Move, Improve! programme.
Other awards include the Environmental prize, which was won by Nina’s House by Nina+Co with ROAR, and the Transformation prize, which was awarded to EBBA Architects for its Steel House project.
Additionally, Hartley House by THISS Studio took home the Compact Design Prize and Natalia Tanko was awarded the Cost Effective Prize for its Hands-on Home project.
Alongside Duggan, who is the founder of Mary Duggan Architects, this year’s jury was made up of property and lifestyle writer Anna White, urban design manager for the London Borough of Camden Ed Jarvis and architectural photographer and designer Peter Molloy.
This is the second Don’t Move, Improve! prize to be won by Archmongers, having also been named winner of the competition in 2022 for a “practical and playful” refurbishment of a home in Dulwich.
Other previous winners of the award include a terracotta-tiled extension by Emil Eve Architects, The Secret Garden Flat by Nic Howett Architect and a “rich and interesting” refurbishment by Studio Ben Allen.
The photography is by French+Tye and Jim Stephenson.
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