Giving much-deserved recognition to schemes realised at a more modest cost

Now in its 31st year, AJ Small Projects, run in association with Marley, continues to champion the very best architecture delivered on a modest budget – recognising completed projects with a contract value of £399,000 or under.

Launched in 1995, the awards have a proud history of spotlighting creative ingenuity. The inaugural prize, awarded in 1996 to Anthony Grimshaw Associates for Garden Gazebo, set the tone for what AJ Small Projects has always stood for: giving much-deserved recognition to schemes realised at a more modest cost.

From home extensions to workspaces, restaurants to shop fit-outs, and pavilions to small houses, architects across the UK are delivering projects that may fly under the radar but exemplify the depth and diversity of design talent in the UK today.

All entries are showcased in the AJ Buildings Library, with shortlisted projects published in the Architects’ Journal in April 2026.

Entries are now closed for 2026. The winner was announced at this year's prize-giving event. Learn more here.

Register your interest for 2026


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Join us to find out AJ Small Projects’ 30th anniversary winners

Come along to Orms’ recently retrofitted offices in Old Street on the evening of 1 May for a free-to-attend event announcing the winners of AJ Small Projects 2025.

Celebrating its 30th year, the annual award, which is sponsored by long-time supporter Marley, recognises the very best of smaller, lower-budget architecture. To mark this very special anniversary, we have shortlisted 30 exceptional projects for the first time.

Join us in celebrating AJ Small Project’s 30th year, the shortlisted practices and find out the overall winner of 2025’s award.

Details:

  • Where: Orms, 6th Floor, 160 Old Street, London EC1V 9BW
  • When: 6.30-9 pm, Thursday 1 May 2025

Tickets for the awards are now gone!


This event is being sponsored. We make available your name, job title, email address and company you work for to our sponsor (listed here). This is in our and our sponsors' legitimate business interests: it allows us to attract the most appropriate sponsors for the events and to facilitate business-to-business communication between you and the sponsors; and allows us to offer you other relevant products and services. You can opt out by completing this form. We may contact you regarding other relevant products and services from EMAP’s Architecture portfolio (The Architectural Review, Architects' Journal and World Architecture Festival). This is in our legitimate business interests and allows us to offer you other relevant products and services. You can opt out of providing your name, job title, and company by emailing GDPRunsubscribes@emap.com Note, we do not sell, rent or share your data with third parties without your consent. We respect the privacy of every person for whom we have personal data. The group privacy and cookies policy can be viewed here. 

AJ Small Projects 2024 highlights

AJ Small Projects 2024 by Hawkins\Brown