Elizabeth Tower
by Purcell
Client Strategic Estates/Houses of Parliament
Award RIBA London Award 2025
The award winner tells us: "The Elizabeth Tower is the pinnacle of Parliament: the symbolic heartbeat and timepiece of the nation. Its restoration is a testament to the preservation of historic landmarks, craftmanship, and the integration of modern engineering techniques.
At the project’s inception in 2015, the tower was overdue for its next repair cycle: the subsequent conservation and refurbishment project has been the most extensive in the tower’s 160-year history. Purcell's objective was to undertake comprehensive repairs, whilst undoing detrimental previous interventions, and extending its life cycle before the next refurbishment to 50 years, safeguarding its future as a cultural monument and heritage site."
The jury says: "Like many conservation projects, appreciating the achievement requires some investigation. The shape of the tower, the clock faces and the sounds of the bells are mostly appreciated from a distance, as a dominant presence within one of the world’s most recognisable skylines. The jury’s inspection was carried out from within, after entering through a very modest door to one side of the main thoroughfare of MPs and parliamentary staff going about their business.
Work led by Purcell at the lower levels included extensive stone repairs, the refurbishment of various interior rooms for exhibitions and admin, and the clever insertion of a passenger lift which must be a welcome addition to the clock engineers and tour guides."
Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal
Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine
Architect, lead designer, principal designer Purcell
Building control SOCOTEC
CDM advisor AtkinsRealis
Cost manager Currie & Brown
Fire assurance Falck Consulting
Fire engineer Buro Happold
Fire assessor Ashton Fire
Mechanical and electrical engineer SI Sealy
NEC supervisor Purcell with Buro Happold and Alan Baxter Associates
Project manager Lendlease
Structural engineer AECOM
Cast iron roof and bronze windows Shepley Engineers
Construction support Clipfine
Clock dial and window re-glazing Reyntiens Studio
Clock refurbishment Cumbria Clock Company
Decoration of iron frame Universal Coatings
Fire stopping Kilnbridge/FSI
Fire systems Hall and Kay
Gilding and decoration Cliveden Conservation
Glass enclosure to belfry Firmans
Lifts Stannah
Mechanical and electrical services Tillbury Douglas
Site security Panthera
Civils Realtime
Safe access systems HCL Safety
Scaffold PHD
Steelwork Apex
Stonework and joinery DBR Ltd
Tritech Civils
Gross internal area 610m²
