The Hammersmith Society Holds Annual Awards at Latymer Upper
Alongside the prize-giving local sculptor Hywel Pratley will be guest speaker
A montage of some of this year's nominees. Picture: Hammersmith Society
February 9, 2026
Hammersmith’s built environment – from striking new housing to lovingly restored historic pubs and greener streets – will be firmly in the spotlight this Monday evening (9 February) as the Hammersmith Society hosts its Awards Evening and Annual General Meeting at Latymer Upper School.
The delayed 2025 awards bring together architects, residents, planners and conservation enthusiasts to celebrate projects that have made a positive contribution to the borough’s character, sustainability and public realm. Alongside the prize-giving, members will also hear from this year’s guest speaker, acclaimed local sculptor Hywel Pratley, whose public artworks and television appearances (including Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey) have earned him a growing national profile.
With refreshments from 6.30pm and proceedings beginning at 7pm, the evening promises to blend community debate with a showcase of some of Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush’s most interesting recent developments.
One of the headline nominations this year is Macfarlane Place, a thoughtfully designed Peabody housing development on the corner of Macfarlane Road and Wood Lane, opposite Westfield which is up for the Environment Award. Designed by Maccreanor Lavington, the scheme replaces a former BBC car park with two mid-rise blocks delivering 142 affordable homes across a mix of tenures.
What has impressed the Society is the quality of materials and detailing – finely patterned brickwork, generous windows and distinctive shutters that help regulate heat and reduce the need for air-conditioning. Despite being a large scheme, the development manages to feel carefully scaled and avoids the tired visual language too often associated with high-density housing. Subtle nods to the area’s industrial heritage, including echoes of nearby warehouse-style buildings, help it sit comfortably within its surroundings.
Tucked away behind King Street, down the narrow Dimes Place, The New Timber Yard is a classic example of a “hidden” Hammersmith transformation. Once home to a long-established timber merchant, the site has been redeveloped into a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rated commercial complex that feels calm, green and almost village-like compared to the bustle just metres away.
Lush planting lines the former service road, opening into a shared courtyard complete with outdoor workspace and social areas. The buildings themselves are contemporary but restrained, making the most of a surprisingly spacious plot surrounded by neighbouring homes. It’s a scheme that demonstrates how dense urban sites can still feel generous, sustainable and human in scale.
Tom Ryland Award for Conservation: breathing life back into a Victorian pub
The conservation nomination this year goes to The Hawthorn, a late-19th-century pub on the corner of Thorpebank Road and Uxbridge Road that has undergone a sensitive and stylish revival.
New owners Peter Creed and Tom Noest have restored the building’s historic character with traditional paintwork, reinstated sash windows and carefully designed signage, all while creating a warm, welcoming interior. Butter-coloured walls, a newly built bar and thoughtful detailing have transformed what had become a tired venue into a vibrant neighbourhood pub once again.
For the Society, it’s a textbook example of how historic buildings can be modernised without losing their soul.
Nancye Goulden Award: small public spaces making a big impact
Hidden just behind the Broadway and close to Hammersmith’s transport hub, Bradmore Square has quietly become a greener, more inviting pocket of public space. New planting, well-maintained pots and a general uplift in landscaping have turned what was once a tired back-of-house area into somewhere people now linger.
The nomination highlights not just the design but the ongoing care – with greenery thriving even through recent dry spells, showing that investment in public realm can be both attractive and sustainable.
Perhaps the most symbolic nomination comes from King Street, where new rain gardens and permeable gravel tree pits are beginning to transform the western end of the borough’s main shopping thoroughfare.
Installed as part of wider streetscape works and supported by community planting groups, the gardens are already softening the street scene while helping manage surface water and improve biodiversity. For a Society that has long campaigned against asphalt-sealed tree pits, the changes mark a tangible step towards greener, more people-friendly streets.
Not all the awards are celebratory. The Society’s infamous Wooden Spoon highlights parts of the borough where neglect, poor design or long-running decline remain unresolved. This year, nominations include stretches of the Uxbridge Road and the troubled former Hampshire Hog site, now known as The Hammersmith Belle – both seen by members as missed opportunities in prominent locations.
Alongside the project showcases, Monday’s AGM will mark a changing of the guard. Chair Richard Farthing is stepping down after completing his three-year term, with several long-serving committee members also departing. Members will elect a new chair and are being encouraged to get involved in shaping the Society’s future work on planning, heritage and urban design.
With architectural ambition, community activism and environmental improvement all on display, this year’s Hammersmith Society Awards promise not just to celebrate what’s been achieved – but to spark debate about what kind of borough residents want to see in the years ahead.
The Hammersmith Society Awards Evening and AGM takes place Monday 9 February at Latymer Upper School, with refreshments from 6.30pm and a 7pm start. All members are welcome.
Value Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |