The Farrell Centre, a collaborative project between SPACE Architects and Elliott Architects, was conceived as an Urban Room for Newcastle and the wider region. Situated within a historic Grade II-listed building formerly known as the Claremont Buildings, the project has transformed a once-vacant space into a dynamic and engaging hub for public dialogue about the future of our buildings and cities. Inspired by the visionary work of Sir Terry Farrell, the design honours the building's heritage while introducing contemporary interventions that enable it to serve a new generation.

The RIBA shortlist has selected a group of buildings that make meaningful contributions to their communities. This year's selection highlights North East architecture that is both purpose-driven and people-focused. Furthermore, the strong emphasis on reuse and embodied carbon underlines many of the shortlisted schemes, establishing a standard for sustainable, responsible design.

All shortlisted projects will be visited by a regional jury, with winners announced later this spring. These projects will then be considered for several prestigious RIBA Special Awards, including the RIBA Sustainability Award and RIBA Building of the Year, before advancing to the national stage. The highly coveted RIBA National Awards will be revealed in the summer, with the shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize—the UK's highest architectural honour—announced in September.

At SPACE Architects, we take immense pride in our role in revitalising the Farrell Centre and championing the transformative power of architecture. This shortlisting reinforces our belief that sensitive and innovative reuse can breathe new life into heritage buildings, ensuring they remain relevant and valuable to future generations. We look forward to the next stage of the awards and to continuing the conversation on how architecture shapes and strengthens our communities.