Irish architect Níall McLaughlin receives the prestigious Royal Gold Medal for architecture
One of the world’s highest honours in the world of architecture, the award recognises Níall’s impact through his work, writing and education.
Architect Níall McLaughlin, founder of Níall McLaughlin Architects has been awarded the 2026 Royal Gold Medal for architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It is one of the highest accolades in architecture, with the jury noting how Níall is a “pivotal figure in contemporary architecture”, whose work “not only enriches the architectural profession but also addresses its evolving challenges.” His projects “challenge conventional notions of architecture and regeneration, illustrating a visionary approach that prioritises environmental and cultural considerations.”
Níall studied architecture at University College Dublin between 1979 and 1984. He worked for Scott Tallon Walker for four years before setting up his own practice in London in 1990. Since then, the practice has worked on a wide range of projects, including the cloud-like Bandstand at Bexhill (2001); the calm pavilions of the Alzheimer’s Respite Centre in Dublin (2011); the latticed timber oval of the Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxford (2013); and the simple brick volumes of The New Library Magdalene College (2021) which won the 2022 Stirling Prize. What has characterised the work of his practice is a commitment to its users, and thoughtful, innovative and well-crafted buildings.
Níall has also had an impact in education, teaching at The Bartlett School of Architecture for over 25 years, with stints at The University of California Los Angeles and as Lord Norman Foster Visiting Professor of Architecture at Yale.
On hearing the news, Níall McLaughlin said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive the 2026 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture. My team and I view architecture as a continuity of practice across generations. We are grateful to our teachers, who passed on the spirit, and our students, who continually question and transform it. As a small studio, we have grown and learned together. Thank you to all those who have collaborated with us and supported our ideals through commissioning, design, and construction.
“Through practice, we have learned that architecture is not the production of singular objects, but an ongoing performance of development, alteration, and reinvention through lived experience. At a time of accelerating technological change in design and construction, we continue to insist on the human rituals and material practices at the heart of our discipline. Building is an act, not an object. Architecture lies in its making and the way that it shapes learning, culture, and communal life. We accept this recognition with gratitude and with a renewed commitment to live up to its challenge.”
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