TfL: London's beloved Elizabeth Line wins top architecture award

Ask any Londoner what their favourite Tube line is and they are most likely to respond with the Elizabeth Line.

The Lizzy Line, which officially opened in May 2022, is often celebrated for its efficiency and modern infrastructure (hello air con!)

But it’s the Elizabeth Line’s ‘streamlined design’ that has hit the headlines this week after it was awarded a top architecture prize.

The Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA) has named the Elizabeth Line, designed by Grimshaw, Maynard, Equation, and Atkins Réalis, as the winner of the 2024 RIBA Stirling Prize.

The prestigious annual award recognises the UK's best new architecture. Muyiwa Oki, chairman of the RIBA Stirling prize jury, said the cross-London rail route offers a “flawless, efficient, beautifully choreographed solution to inner-city transport”.

The construction of the Elizabeth Line was a monumental achievement. The excavation project became part of Britain’s largest-ever archaeological dig, uncovering a wealth of historical artefacts – from a Tudor bowling ball to 55-million-year-old woolly mammoth remains.

Six million tonnes of earth were excavated to create room for the network’s tunnels, which was repurposed to create a nature reserve in Essex. Neill McClements, Partner at Grimshaw said: “The Elizabeth Line is a piece of infrastructure that has been transformative, not only for London’s transport network but also for many people’s lives, highlighting the role design plays in elevating our every day.”