Don’t Move, Improve! encourages great design in everyday life, celebrating the newest and most innovative home improvement projects from across London.

The annual competition – now celebrating its 11th year – showcases the diversity and character of homes being redesigned in London.

With an annual exhibition, magazine and regular advice sessions with architects, engineers, and designers, the programme aims to celebrate London’s best domestic-scale designs and encourage homeowners to embark on their own home improvement project.

Awards

Twenty-two exceptional projects have been shortlisted for the Don't Move Improve! 2021 awards and are now in the running to be awarded the Overall Winner or Special Prizes.

Awards

Don't Move, Improve! 2021

The 2021 competition seeking London's most innovative homes being re-designed in the capital.

Sponsorship & Advertising

Align your organisation with any element of the NLA programme and benefit from association with thought leadership

ABOUT DON'T MOVE, IMPROVE!

Our Key Objectives

Encourage the best design in everyday life
Celebrate and promote exemplar schemes to the industry, Londoners, and the world
Provide a programme for the public to understand the value of good design within the home, learn about design options and processes, and engage with practitioners
Promote practices focusing on domestic-scale design to a wider audience

MAGAZINES

The Don’t Move, Improve! magazine, which also features editorial from industry professionals and tips for taking on a home improvement project, has a 4,000+ print circulation and is distributed with NLQ magazine, as well as being available to purchase at NLA and the RIBA bookshop, and for free download via the NLA website.

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Creative and ingenious solutions to extending London homes, over 100 projects of all styles, scale and budget.

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2019

Showcasing all home projects featured in this year’s Don’t Move, Improve! competition, this magazine showcases a range o...

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2018

Showcasing all home projects featured in this year’s Don’t Move, Improve! competition, this magazine showcases a range o...

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2017

Showcasing all 120 projects featured in the 2017 Don’t Move, Improve! competition, this magazine showcases a range of so...

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2015/16

This publication accompanies the competition, now in its sixth year, inviting architects, designers and homeowners to su...

Insight

Don't Move, Improve! 2014/15

Providing a resource for anyone looking to create more usable space within their home, NLA's first publication to illust...

EXHIBITIONS

Our annual exhibition showcases the winning and shortlisted projects featured in Don’t Move, Improve!. Open for 3 months at NLA’s central London gallery, the exhibition attracts approximately 2,500 visitors weekly.

Don't Move, Improve! 2020 Exhibition

Don't move, Improve

Start: Wednesday 12 February 2020 - 09:30
End: Thursday 30 April 2020 - 18:00

The annual Don’t Move, Improve! exhibition of London’s best and most innovative home extensions is coming soon!

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Don't Move, Improve! 2019 exhibition

Don't move, Improve

Start: Wednesday 23 January 2019 - 00:00
End: Saturday 27 April 2019 - 00:00

Celebrating London’s best-designed and most innovative home extensions completed in the last two years across the capital, this free exhibition displays a wealth of inspiration for those looking to em...

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Don't Move, Improve! 2018 Exhibition

Don't move, Improve

Start: Friday 26 January 2018 - 00:00
End: Saturday 28 April 2018 - 00:00

Celebrating London’s best-designed and most innovative home extensions completed in the last two years across the capital, this free exhibition displays a wealth of inspiration for those looking to em...

Find out more

Don't Move, Improve! 2017 Exhibition

Don't move, Improve

Start: Friday 27 January 2017 - 00:00
End: Wednesday 29 March 2017 - 00:00

Celebrating London’s best-designed and most innovative home extensions completed in the last two years across the capital, this free exhibition displays a wealth of inspiration for those looking to em...

Find out more

Don't Move, Improve! 2016 Exhibition

Don't move, Improve

Start: Friday 22 January 2016 - 00:00
End: Wednesday 25 May 2016 - 00:00

In a city of some 3 million households, the piecemeal adaptation of London’s existing housing stock is necessary to ensure their longevity as homes of the future. While house prices in the capital con...

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PAST WINNERS

Unique in the industry, the annual competition celebrates small scale home improvement projects within London. With a legacy of recognising emerging talent it is now an esteemed award for architectural practices.

Don't Move, Improve! 2020 Winners

Soffit House by Proctor and Shaw has been announced as the overall winner of Don’t Move, Improve 2020!

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Don’t Move, Improve! 2019 Winners

Chapel by Craftworks has been crowned overall winner of Don’t Move, Improve! 2019! Now in its ninth year, the annual competition celebrates London’s best-designed new home extensions and improvements,...

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Don’t Move, Improve! 2018 Winners

Sun Rain Rooms by Tonkin Liu has been crowned overall winner of Don’t Move, Improve! 2018! Celebrating London’s best-designed new home extensions and improvements, the annual competition promotes the...

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Don’t Move, Improve! 2017 Winners

The Sunken Bath Project by Studio 304 Architecture has been crowned overall winner of the ‘Don’t Move, Improve!’ 2017 awards, praised for its compelling design that created a new feature bathroom that...

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Design Surgeries 2021

Get advice from the architects and related professions recognised by the annual competition in virtual one-to-one consultations and inspiration talks with experts in a week-long series of events.

In these events members of the public have the opportunity to get personalised advice and inspiration on home extensions. Expert talks are given on design considerations and practical advice, one-to-one consultations with expert practitioners, alongside family walking tours and workshops, and much more!

These sessions give you the opportunity to discuss your home improvement ideas and consult with architects.

All consultations are free

REGISTER HERE

Videos

In 2020 we produced videos of all the winning projects, with interviews from the architects and homeowners, giving our audience an exclusive insight into the projects.

Don't move, Improve

11 February 2020

Soffit House. Overall Winner. Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Hear from the winning architect and homeowner of Soffit House, overall winner of Don't Move, Improve! 2020

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Don't move, Improve

11 February 2020

Vestry Road. Compact design. Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Peak inside this project, winner of 'Compact design of the year' Don't Move, Improve 2020

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Don't move, Improve

11 February 2020

White Rabbit House. Unique Character Prize. Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Take a close-up look at the winning project of 'Unique Character of the Year' in Don't Move, Improve! 2020

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Don't move, Improve

11 February 2020

Disappearing Bathroom. Best project under £75K. Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Watch how this example of micro living demonstrates how innovative ideas and clever choice of materials can make even the smallest home seem spacious.

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Don't move, Improve

11 February 2020

Three rooms under one roof. Environmental leadership. Don't Move, Improve! 2020

Hear from the Don't Move, Improve! environmental leaders winners on their home, which reused the materials and furniture to adapt to the changing needs of the family.

Watch video