The IHBC and the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (SAHGB) are delighted to announce the launch of the 2025 joint Heritage Research Award to celebrate ‘the quality of architectural-historical research.. in heritage and conservation practice’, for research carried out from 2023 and with submissions open to 18 August 2025.
The SAHGB & IHBC write:
… The Heritage Research Award 2025…Celebrates the quality of architectural-historical research produced by colleagues in heritage and conservation practice. Nominations may be made for work falling within 2 broad categories. Please ensure your submission meets the criteria, eligibility, and deadlines. Full submissions should be received by 18 August 2025. For any questions relating to this form, please contact info@sahgb.org.uk
This award – a joint venture between the SAHGB and IHBC – recognises and celebrates the quality of architectural-historical research produced by colleagues in heritage and conservation practice, as private consultants or on behalf of Non-Governmental Organisations, public bodies or comparable clients. Applied research undertaken for statements of significance, conservation management plans, listing, other forms of statutory protection, and to directly inform decision making in the planning and wider heritage sphere makes a significant, but all too often under-recognised contribution to the discipline and indeed to the quality of the historic environment. Moreover, methodological reflection on this work, and on heritage and preservationism more widely, adds much to the practice of architectural history. Our Heritage Research Award will provide an opportunity to understand better the diversity of this work, celebrate the very best of the research that goes into it, and make it better known to other professionals and the public.
The Award celebrates research and critical reflection. It excludes specifically consideration, assessment or endorsement of any plans, projects, sites, advocacy or arbitration etc. linked in ANY way to the research, or the success, merits, demerits or otherwise of resulting advice, decisions or interventions. This separation between research and conservation outcomes mirrors the separation that the IHBC recognises between the advice given by an IHBC member to a client or employer and the potential decisions and outcomes that ultimately may be associated with that advice.
Winning work will receive a medallion, to be presented at the SAHGB’s Annual Awards Ceremony. Winners will also be offered a free place at the corresponding IHBC Annual School. Additionally, we may contact winning researchers to request a feature for publishing on the Society’s website or members’ magazine.
Judging Panel
- John Cattell FSA IHBC Retired, former Head of Research, Historic England (Panel Chair)
- Neil Burton, Director, The Architectural History Practice
- Simon Green, Retired, Scottish Royal Commission and HES
- Liz Green, Senior Curator and lead for architectural history at the National Trust
- Joanna Smith, Senior Architectural Investigator, Historic England
Eligibility and Research Categories
Independent researchers, practices, heritage consultancies, amenity societies, relevant departments of religious bodies, and non-departmental public bodies are all invited to submit or nominate work that demonstrates significant and original work and that develops our understanding of the built environment.
We are looking for two broad categories of research:
CATEGORY 1: Research carried out for specific projects in support of the planning process, e.g.:
- Heritage statements
- Statements of significance
- Listing proposals
- Heritage/conservation management plans
CATEGORY 2: Thematic and/or reflective work, e.g.:
- Thematic/typological/topographical studies
- Critical/reflective/propositional essays on conservation/heritage theory and practice
Essays should be properly referenced (according to the editorial guidelines for submission to Architectural History) with a proper critical apparatus).
NB: Our Award celebrates research and critical reflection; we are not assessing or endorsing particular projects or sites, or arbitrating on success or demerits of resulting planning decisions or architectural interventions.
The Award is open to UK-based researchers and practitioners and/or work on UK sites/subjects. We are seeking original research: work should not have been produced as coursework for degrees or professional accreditation, been published as a book, or substantially published elsewhere. It should be research undertaken and/or written up within the last 2 years (i.e from 1 January 2023).
Criteria
Work will be assessed by the following broad evaluation criteria:
- Significance – including relevance and contribution to knowledge/understanding
- Quality – research should be original and of high quality
- Communication – clarity and efficacy of communication
- Value – long term contribution to the understanding of architectural history
- Usability and impact – the work should relate directly to, and enhance, the planning application and/ or Listed Building consent
