New London Architecture
NLA Awards 2026: Submissions now open
Wednesday 25 March 2026
Submissions for the NLA Awards 2026, supported by the Mayor of London, are now open.
Celebrating the people, places and projects shaping a better London, the Awards recognise excellence across the built environment and champion the values of the New London Agenda: Equity, Sustainability and Prosperity.
More than an awards programme, this is a celebration of London’s built environment, bringing together the full breadth of the sector, from those shaping and delivering projects to those championing change across the industry. This is not just for those who have previously been shortlisted or won; we encourage submissions from across the built environment community.
Judged by an esteemed international panel of leaders in architecture, planning and design, the Awards culminate in a prestigious lunch at the Great Hall at Guildhall, attended by over 650 industry leaders.
A platform for London’s built environment
The NLA Awards provide a unique opportunity to showcase your work to one of the most influential audiences in the sector.
Open to all organisations involved in shaping London’s built environment, the Awards welcome submissions from across disciplines, sectors and career stages. Whether you are delivering built projects, shaping future proposals or leading initiatives across teams and partnerships, this is your opportunity to share your work.
All shortlisted and winning entries receive significant visibility through NLA’s platforms, including publication on our website, promotion across social channels and coverage in our newsletter. Winners are also provided with digital assets and trophies to support their own communications and PR.
Entering the Awards also places your work within a wider movement shaping London’s future, highlighting projects and initiatives that contribute to a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous city.
Categories reflecting the full built environment
Submissions are invited across a wide range of categories, reflecting the diversity of London’s built environment. These span:
- Project categories: including Housing, Retrofit, Mixed Use, Culture, Education, Healthcare, Workplaces, Transport & Infrastructure and more
- Place categories: including Neighbourhoods & Masterplans, Public Spaces and Meanwhile Activation
- People categories: recognising leadership and collaboration through Team of the Year, Borough of the Year, Partnership of the Year and Hidden Hero
Across all Project and Place categories, there are two awards: one for Built and one for Unbuilt, recognising both completed work and future proposals shaping London.
Projects at all stages are eligible, from built schemes to those still on the drawing board, provided they demonstrate clear impact or potential to shape London’s future.
Judged against the New London Agenda
Entries will be assessed against the Six Pillars of Placemaking, NLA’s framework for city-making excellence, from a focus on health and future generations to innovation, diversity and partnership working. Together, these principles ensure that all shortlisted projects contribute meaningfully to London’s long-term development.
Why enter
Why enter
Winners will be celebrated at the NLA Awards lunch at Guildhall, one of the key moments in the built environment calendar.
Shortlisted and winning projects benefit from extensive exposure across NLA’s platforms, reaching over 29,000 LinkedIn followers, 26,000 newsletter subscribers and a wide network of industry press. Entrants also gain opportunities to present their work through NLA’s year-round programme, from events and talks to editorial features.
Projects can be featured in the NLA Project Directory and may be exhibited at The London Centre, connecting your work with key decision-makers across the sector. All entries are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award, offering the chance to be recognised by Londoners themselves.
Key dates
Submissions close on Thursday 21 May 2026.
To support your entry, join the Submissions Q&A webinar on Wednesday 1 April 2026.
Winners will be announced in November 2026.
Get involved
Entries must be submitted via Zealous before the deadline, including a submission document, application form and payment. Full details, including eligibility criteria and submission requirements, can be found in the submission guidelines.
If you’re not yet an NLA member, join our community to access year-round programme benefits and be part of London’s built environment network.
Table bookings for the Awards lunch will open soon, keep an eye out for further announcements.
Interested in supporting the NLA Awards 2026?
Align with the sector of your choice and position yourself as a thought leader in the category, with further marketing promotion across the Awards to bring visibility to your brand.
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