Refurbished Youth Centre Given Ealing Civic Society's Full Award

Creative studio in Park Royal and Assyrian cathedral also commended

Emma Truman from Ealing Council and Johnny Brewin of Republic of Park Royal receiving their awards from Sarah Cook (on right). Ann Chapman (Chairman of the Society) is on the left

October 30, 2025

The Ealing Civic Society held its 2025 awards ceremony recently at Open Ealing, recognising a range of architectural and environmental projects that have made a positive contribution to the borough. The event on the evening of Tuesday 21 October began with a presentation by Harbinder Birdi, one of the judges, who introduced the shortlisted schemes. Certificates were then presented by Sarah Cook, Urban Design Manager at Ealing Council, who also gave a talk titled Putting good design and heritage at the heart of how we enhance Ealing. In her remarks, she outlined the aims of her team and the importance of thoughtful design in shaping the borough’s future.

Since 1989, the Ealing Civic Society has run its annual award scheme to highlight projects that demonstrate excellence in design and benefit the local community. Winners receive a certificate, and full award recipients are also entitled to display a specially designed Society plaque.

This year, the Society was pleased to present a full award, as well as certificates for highly commended and commended projects. The full award went to the Southall Young Adult Centre (YAC), a project led by Ealing Council’s Projects Delivery Unit. Originally earmarked for demolition in 2015 due to its poor condition, the building was instead saved and extensively refurbished.

The improvements included enhanced security and accessibility, as well as the addition of new facilities such as a gym, ICT and craft spaces, and a training kitchen. The design process involved consultation with youth groups, school students, staff, and visitors, and the judges praised the Council’s ability to assemble an in-house team of architects, engineers, and procurement professionals to deliver the project on a tight budget. The youth groups involved expressed their satisfaction with the final result.

The Southall Young Adult Centre (YAC) was deemed worthy of a full award

The Society also gave a Highly Commended certificate to Excelsior Studios, part of The Republic of Park Royal initiative. This project has transformed underused industrial sites into a network of artist studios, maker spaces, and community hubs. Excelsior Studios itself is a reimagined warehouse built around a central “street” to encourage collaboration, and now houses nearly 70 creative studios. The project also includes the Park Royal Gallery Artboards—outdoor gallery spaces made from reclaimed pallets, combined with seating and planting, which showcase the work of local artists.

Excelsior Studios, part of The Republic of Park Royal initiative

A Commended certificate was awarded to St Mary’s Cathedral, the new home of the Assyrian Church of the East in the UK. Formerly St James’ Church in West Ealing, the building had been closed since 2018 and was purchased by the Assyrian Church in 2024. The restoration and transformation of the site into a cathedral was described as a labour of faith and community dedication. The project respected the architectural heritage of the building while adapting it to meet the needs of a growing congregation. Landscaping improvements were also made to the surrounding gardens to enhance public access and the overall appearance of the site.

A representative of St Mary’s Cathedral (centre) receives a Commended certificate

Several other projects were shortlisted for this year’s awards. These included 12 Richmond Road, a contemporary three-bedroom home built on a narrow vacant plot; ‘This Curious Life’ at Seal House in South Ealing, which converted a former shop and office into therapy rooms and residential accommodation; the Acton Community Hub at Acton Library, which aims to improve community services and provide flexible cultural and enterprise space; and Open Havelock in Southall, which repurposes garages and undercrofts into a flexible community facility co-designed with residents.

Ealing Civic Society Chair Ann Chapman closed the evening by reminding attendees that the purpose of the award scheme is to promote and celebrate good design across all types of buildings and landscapes. She noted that the Society had long championed the value of design in creating a sense of place and community, and encouraged more nominations in future years to ensure a wide range of projects are considered.

Further information about the awards and the Society’s work can be found at ealingcivicsociety.org.