Power to the people

Bunhill 2 Energy Centre has been commended in the RIBA Journal’s 2021 MacEwan Awards.

The RIBA Journal’s MacEwan Awards recognise projects that display architectural virtuosity whilst nurturing people and communities, and the world they live in. 

Bunhill 2 Energy Centre, commissioned by Islington Council, is a world first - taking an underground train network’s waste heat and using it to provide low-cost, greener heat to local homes and public buildings. Bunhill 2 has transformed a prominent, unloved site on City Road with “a beacon of how collaborative thinking and work can improve lives, lower costs and waste and make inroads towards preventing climate destruction.”

MacEwen Award judge Tumpa Fellows comments: ‘This stood out for me. It is a great example of how you can make things aesthetically pleasing even when you’re dealing with climate change and its social impacts. It’s quirky, interesting and makes me want to know more.’