Nick Hayhurst

Nick is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Brighton and the principal of Hayhurst and Co. Architects: a design and research-centred practice based in London. His practice’s work includes education, housing and cultural projects and is the recipient of industry awards including 8 RIBA awards for architectural excellence, 2 retrofit awards for exemplar sustainable refurbishments of existing buildings and a winner of a prestigious Architectural Review Award. His work has been published nationally and internationally.

Nick has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and is currently the Course Leader for the RIBA Part 3 Course and Subject Leader for the Future Practice in the RIBA Part 2 Course. He has represented the school at SCHOSA (Standing Conference for Heads of School of Architecture) and is a Chair/ Vice Chair of the RIBA Validation Board accrediting schools of architecture for the RIBA in the UK and overseas. 

Nick is a Co-Chair of the Brighton and Hove Design Review Panel and a Chair of the Southwark Design Review Panel where he leads multi-disciplinary panels of experts advising local authorities on design related issues for major planning applications. He also sits on the Croydon Place Making Panel and the Design South East Design Review Panel.

Nick has taught, practiced and researched around the subject of architectural design and practice for over 15 years and is a regular lecture and critic at schools of architecture in the UK. His research practice informs his teaching, and vice versa. The three key strands of his research are;

Professional Futures: Since 2012, Nick has led a programme called Future Practice in the MArch course where he has curated over 20 guest lectures that have discussed and challenged the status and future of our profession. Nick is recognised as a leader in the debate on the professional studies in the architectural education and contributed a chapter to the 2019 RIBA Publication ‘Defining Contemporary Professionalism’ edited by Alan Jones and Rob Hyde. His practice is one of the 21 founding practices of the London Practice Forum.

Education Environments: Nick’s research explores how the application of immersive consultative techniques and co-design processes can support the development of learning spaces that respond to specific pedagogical approaches and demographic, cultural and learning needs. His practice-led research explores and tests co-design methodology with a range of school leaders, pupils and educationalists whilst simultaneously interrogating, challenging and questioning what a good learning environment might be. Nick has lectured widely on the subject of school design and was a keynote speaker at the 2019 ‘AT Building and Remodelling Schools for Tomorrow Conference’. Nick’s has also just completed the RIBA Architecture Learning Centre at the RIBA HQ: the country’s only space designed specifically for architectural learning. 

Density and Technology: Nick’s research explores the emerging need for new models of housing density in central and suburban London and how the application of green technologies and constructional systems can support the development of high-quality living environments. His practice-led research explores and testsbespoke green roof solutions extending the vocabulary of green roof technology. His completed projects - such as Garden House - have been widely published in the professional press and mainstream media nationally and internationally and have been the recipient of numerous awards. His projects are now used as learning material in schools of architecture and used in multiple planning guidance notes around the country.

Architectural Awards

RIBA Journal MacEwen Award – Shortlisted - Torriano Primary School 2020

Civic Trust Award – Regional Winner - Torriano Primary School 2019

AJ Retrofit Awards 2016 – Best School - Winner – Torriano Primary School 2019

RIBA Regional Award 2019 - Winner – Torriano Primary School 2019

National Urban Design Award – Shortlisted (Somers Town/ Edith Neville Primary) 2019

Planning Award (publicly-owned land) – Winner (Somers Town/ Edith Neville Primary) 2018

NLA Don’t Move Improve Award – Shortlisted – Burnt House 2018

RIBA House of the Year Award 2017 – Long-listed – Whole House 2017

AJ Retrofit Awards 2017 – Best House - Shortlisted – Barn-ish, Brighton-ish 2017

RIBA Regional Award 2017 - Winner – Whole House 2017

Architect of the Year (Individual House) – Shortlisted 2017

NLA Masterplans – Shortlisted (Somers Town/ Edith Neville Primary) 2017

RIBA House of the Year Award 2016 – Finalist – Garden House 2016

Blueprint Innovation Award 2016 – Commended – Garden House 2016

NLA Best House Award 2016 - Shortlisted – Garden House 2016

AJ Retrofit Awards 2016 – Best House - Shortlisted – Garden House 2016

RIBA Regional Award 2016 - Winner – Garden House 2016

Architect of the Year (Education) – Shortlisted 2016

Architectural Review Schools Award – Winner - Pegasus Academy 2015

Civic Trust Award – Winner - Pegasus Academy 2015

Civic Trust Award – Winner - Hayes Primary 2015

Camden Design Award – Highly Commended - Hampstead Beach House 2015

Camden Business Award Best Small Development – Winner - Hampstead Beach House 2015

RICS Awards – Shortlisted - Pegasus Academy 2015

AJ Retrofit Awards 2014 – Best Education Building - Winner – Pegasus Academy 2014

NLA Awards 2014 – Best Education Building - Shortlisted – Pegasus Academy 2014

RIBA National Award 2014 - Shortlisted – Pegasus Academy 2014

RIBA Regional Award 2014 - Winner – Pegasus Academy 2014

RIBA London Emerging Architect of the Year Award 2014 – Shortlisted 2014

Grand Designs Magazine Award – 2nd Place - Hampstead Beach House 2014

NLA Don’t Move Improve Award – 2nd Place - Hampstead Beach House 2013

NLA Awards 2013 – Best Building Overall - Winner – Hayes Primary School 2013

NLA Awards 2013 – Best Education Building - Winner – Hayes Primary School 2013

BCIA 2013 – Public Building under £3m - Runner Up – Hayes Primary School 2013

RIBA National Award 2013 - Winner – Hayes Primary School 2013

Young Architect of the Year 2012 - Second Place (Highly Commended) 2012

RIBA London Small Project Award 2012 - Winner – Hairy House 2012

RIBA National Award 2012 - Winner – Hairy House 2012

FX International Interior Design Award 2012 - Short-listed – Hayes Primary School 2012

RIBA London Region Award - Short-listed – Tray House 2010

RIBA London Region Award - Short-listed – Whitehorse Manor Junior School 2010

Grand Designs Magazine Award - Finalist (Best Extension) – Tray House 2010

Grand Designs Magazine Award - Finalist (Best Refurbishment) – Fashion Street 2010

NLA Don’t Move Improve Award - Winner - Best Use of Brick (Tray House) 2010

Student Awards/ Exhibitions (taught)

Polyark 3 - Polyport (University of Rome) 2013

RIBA Bronze Medal - Ardi Rexhepi – Short-listed, 2010 2010

RIBA Bronze Medal - Biten Patel – Commendation, 2009 2009

RIBA Visualisations Exhibitions - Florence Hall – 2009 2009

RIBA Bronze Medal - Robin Hill – Short-listed, 2005 2005

Articles/ Publications/ Citations/ Contributions to Journals

‘Defining Contemporary Professionalism’ (ed. Alan Jones) – chapter by Nick Hayhurst 2019

‘RIBA learning centre out of recycled materials’ - AJ - November 2019 2019

‘RIBA targets young minds’ RIBA Journal - October 2019 2019

‘Hayhurst & Co completes ‘activity lab’ for north London school’ - AJ - March 2019 2019

‘Portals in Ply’ Architecture Today - April 2019 2019

‘Whole House’ Architecture Today – January 2018 2018

‘Hayhurst and Co. uses glazed atrium’ – Dezeen – January 2018 2018

‘Hayhurst and Co wins RIBA learning centre contest’ – Architect’s Journal - Sept. 2017 2017

‘Hayhurst and Co. completes windowless house’ - Architect’s Journal - 18.09.17 2017

‘Garden House by Hayhurst and Co.’, Blueprint – March 2017 2017

‘Fine Tuning’ by Nick Hayhurst – Architecture Today November 2016 2016

‘Groupe Scolaire (Whitehorse Manor)’ – EXE – Autumn 2016 2016

‘Hanging Basket Roof’ – Dezeen – August 2016 2016

‘Garden House’, Architect’s Journal - 14.07.16 2016

‘The Urban Eco Home’ RIBA Publications – June 2016 2016

‘Garden House’, RIBA Journal – May 2016 2016

Architects 3: 100 Emerging Practices - Architecture Foundation – March 2016 2016

‘Sum of Parts’, Architectural Review – October 2015 2015

Future Schools: Innovative Design, RIBA Publications – May 2015 2015

‘Golden Extension to a Victorian School’ – Dezeen – February 2015 2015

‘Pegasus Academy’, Architect’s Journal PIP – September 2014 2014

‘Building Study’, Architecture Today – June 2014 2014

‘Building Study’, Building Design – May 2014 2014

‘Beach House-inspired Extension’ – Dezeen – February 2014 2014

‘Today’s Lesson’, Domus – June 2013 2013

‘Attention to Detail’, Architect’s Journal - 02.09.13 2013

‘5 Houses’, Architect’s Journal - 06.12.12 2012

‘YAYA – Hayhurst and Co.’, Building Design - 25.10.12 2012

‘Tomorrow’s Architect’, RIBA Publication. 2003

‘Pollen’ – Royal College of Art Publication, 2002 onwards. 2002 - 2003

‘Held to Account’, Prospect – April 2001 – Penny Lewis 2001

‘People’ column – “Studied Mayhem”, ‘The AJ ’ - 02.11.00 – R. Booth 2000