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Suweda Back to top
Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, Dhaka.
Image Credits: Sandro Di Carlo Darsa and Hasan Saifuddin Chandan
"In this image of Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, I find that Marina Tabassum is attempting to heighten one's sense of spirituality through the light from the crisp-cut ring of the roof, and the red-brick walls that run-up to the broad sky. Her use of light and space in this Mosque is not only aesthetically-pleasing, but also thought-provoking to allow people to form a stronger, and deeper connection to God."
Liam Back to top
Inheriting Wetness, Sharjah Architecture Triennial 2019, Sharjah, UAE
Image credit: Sharjah Triennial 2019
"For me, Inheriting Wetness calls into question the nature of ‘land’ as a hereditary concept; in such a dynamic landscape, Marina Tabassum highlights the hardship of families having no fixed abode and captures how the people of Bangladesh think about ‘home’."
Molly Back to top
A5 Pavilion Apartment, Marina Tabassum and Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury, 1999 - 2001.
Image credit: MTA
"I chose this work because of the beautiful synergy of the clean blocks of light and the clean lines of the stone. Such simple colours and shapes come alive with the addition of sunlight to create numerous places to look and patterns to see. Such clean geometry also works really beautifully with the stark contrast between light and dark, the chiaroscuro lending a timelessness to the image that goes hand in hand with the Classical images in Sir John’s own collection. This piece also really showcases John Soane’s love of light as a natural architectural feature and reflects Marina’s collaboration with the natural world to form the idea of a building as a natural being."
More about the Youth Panel
The Youth Panel is a group of young people aged 15–24 who help the Museum shape the activities, events and opportunities we offer young people. Meeting roughly once a fortnight, joining the Youth Panel provides a great opportunity to develop real skills that will be invaluable in a future career, whilst also meeting other young people, having fun and developing new skills and interests. Find out more.
Sadiq Khan Back to top
Mayor of London
Peter Barber doesn’t hide his politics, they proudly inform every aspect of his work. He wants to design a world where social housing is first rate, not last resort. Where many see a commodity, Barber imagines a community. And while society leans more and more towards atomisation, he encourages integration.
The philosophy underpinning Barber’s architecture is the notion that the street is the building block of a city – he isn’t just designing homes but designing London as well. His work complements our efforts to build a better London for everyone – a city that is fairer, greener, safer and more prosperous for all our communities.
If you live in London, the chances are you will have seen his creations and been left charmed. The innovative “tower” homes design for the McGrath Road development in Stratford for Newham Council rightly won him widespread acclaim.
As part of City Hall’s Small Sites x Small Builders programme, Barber also designed the stunning Beechwood Mews development in Finchley. On what was a tiny patch of wasteland, will stand 97 homes, half of which are affordable.
However, my favourite Barber project remains the alms houses of Holmes Road Studios (pictured above) – a beautiful Camden Council facility providing accommodation, training and counselling for homeless people.
Over many decades, Barber has witnessed London slide into a profound housing crisis. Homes became investments, rather than places to live. Rents are continuing to spiral. And a generation has all but given up on the dream of homeownership. It is all the result of catastrophic policy making, which we are now working tirelessly to fix.
With that in mind, maybe the enduring lesson we should take from Barber is how he returns to his projects to see how people’s lives have changed by the decisions he took.
London is now building council homes at a level not seen since the 1970s. As Mayor, I want us to continue that renaissance, and with many more Barber designs inspiring our city and enriching our communities.
Ferhat Ulusu Back to top
Ex-resident at Mount Pleasant, Peter Barber’s sheltered housing project for street homeless people
I first met Peter during a gardening session in the courtyard with the residents at Mount Pleasant.
From that time I would pop in to his office on King’s Cross Road, read about his unique architecture in the local and international press, visit the different sites where he designed ground-breaking buildings and follow the way he swings and sways on social media. He can hold blues tunes playing his guitar. No misses - every single time he wins the hearts of everyone who comes in contact with him. My first impression is of seeing a giant man approaching - you wonder how tall he is. Despite his height, he always remained down to earth.
Today, I would like to take this opportunity to say ‘a mega thank you’ PETER BARBER!
Thank you for your dedication to architecture, thank you for your generosity and your outstanding contribution to homelessness and so much love for its community and last but not least… you have always been there for me when I need it the most. THANK YOU!
Congratulations for winning this award like a real Boss would…!
Regular Donation Back to top
Our Annual Fund supports the three core activities of the Museum – conservation, education and exhibitions. Consider giving a yearly donation to the Annual Fund to ensure that these activities continue to thrive in the years to come.
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