RIBA best buildings of the year 2017: London social housing, eco-friendly homes and the world's first 'vertical pier' in running for top prize

Britain’s best new buildings of the year have been announced today by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Six of the 49 projects are individual homes which are also in the running to win the prestigious House of the Year Award, due to be announced this autumn.

Quirky and innovative projects include Suffolk's Peacock House, with an opaque exterior that conceals a series of wonderful internal and external spaces.

Shawn House in Northumberland is a sustainable self-build by Richard Pender, who successfully provided a more manageable home of the highest quality for his ageing parents.

Maidstone's Caring Wood is recognised for its excellent sustainable credentials, providing a carbon neutral response to climate change. It uses the traditional oast house as a form generator and comprises four towers with an interlinking roof.

Social housing
Two social housing developments in the capital have also been recognised by the awards.

The Silchester Estate in North Kensington was praised as an "exemplary social housing development" by the RIBA judges. The other social housing winner, Dujardin Mews in north London's Ponders End, is the first project of its kind to be council-led in Enfield for 40 years.

"The lack of high quality new housing is a huge issue in the UK so I am particularly pleased to see great examples of well designed, sustainable new homes amongst our award winners, says RIBA president Jane Duncan.

"Sadly though, these projects are exceptions. We all deserve a well-designed, affordable home, wherever we live in the country. I encourage other local authorities, developers and clients to look at these projects as exemplars."

Commerical buildings​
Other notable winners include Brighton's British Airways i360 — the world's first vertical pier and tallest moving observation tower.

The monumental extension to the Tate Modern on London's Bankside, known as Switch House, is celebrated for its free rooftop gallery offering a near-panoramic view of the capital.

Sustainable design is well-represented across the board, from an eco straw-clad office building in Norwich to a striking new biomass power plant in Sheffield.

Brick was the top choice for London based-projects while timber is growing in popularity across the rest of the country.

The shortlist for RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK’s best building of the year will be drawn from these winners. Scroll through the gallery above for the full list...