Guildford Design Awards 2025

The search is on for Guildford's best buildings, public spaces, and art.

The Guildford Design Awards are back for 2025, celebrating outstanding architecture, urban design, and public art across the borough. From grand developments to small but impactful projects, the awards highlight the best in design. Whether it's a stylish café, a modern office hub, a thoughtfully restored heritage site, or a striking new public artwork.

Organised by the Guildford Society in partnership with us, the awards aim to encourage and reward good design across Guildford.   

Who Can Enter?

The competition is open to projects completed between July 2023 and July 2025, and entry is free.

Award Categories

This year, plaques will be awarded to winners across ten categories, including:

1.           New Commercial Building
2.           New Commercial Shop Fitouts & Hospitality
3.           New Public Building
4.           New Build: Individual House
5.           New Build: Multiple Housing (Small: up to 30 homes)
6.           New Build: Multiple Housing (Large: 30+ homes)
7.           Conservation Project
8.           Regeneration Project (including extensions)
9.           Public Realm (landscape and urban design)
10.         Public Art

Celebrating Design Excellence

Peter Coleman, Chair of the Judging Panel, said:

"The Guildford Design Awards honour the talent and dedication of those who shape our town's built environment. From new constructions to conservation projects, we celebrate the creativity and craftsmanship that enhance Guildford's unique character. By encouraging great design, we help to ensure the borough's rich heritage and future development go hand in hand."

Lead Councillor for Planning, Cllr Fiona White commented:

"It's wonderful to see creative, sustainable design in and around the borough recognised. I'm looking forward to this years awards and the treasures it will reveal."

Assistant Director of Planning at Guildford Borough Council, Claire Upton-Brown added:

"Good design plays a vital role in shaping a sustainable and thriving Guildford borough. These awards are an opportunity to showcase the exceptional projects that contribute to our town's identity and quality of life."

Meet the Judges

A distinguished panel of architects, planners, heritage experts, and media professionals will evaluate this year's entries, including:

•             Claire Upton Brown - Joint Assistant Director of Planning, Guildford and Waverley Borough Council
•             Marylyn Scott - Heritage & Art Consultant
•             Martin Giles - Editor of The Guildford Dragon
•             Ben Darnton - Founder, Guildford Past and Present
•             Nic Allen - Architect, Member of the Guildford Society
•             Gerry Lytle - Architect, Member of the Guildford Society
•             Peter Coleman - Architect, Member of the Guildford Society (Chair of the Judging Panel)

How to Enter

If you're an owner, developer, or architect, you can submit a project you've worked on.

If you know of a building that deserves recognition, encourage the owner to enter. You can also let the Guildford Society know via email, and they'll see if it can be nominated.

Read full details and enter the awards

Deadline for entries: Friday 23 May 2025

Published: 31March 2025