Smithfield Birmingham, Prior + Partners’ visionary masterplan for the 17-hectare city-centre site, has won the Future Places Masterplanning category at the 2025 World Architecture Festival in Miami.
Jonathan Rose, Director at Prior + Partners, attended this year’s World Architecture Festival to present Smithfield Birmingham, together with Field Operations, for the Future Projects – Masterplanning category. The success of this award underscores Smithfield’s recognition as a world-leading approach to city-making, reinforcing both the ambition of the masterplan and the collaborative effort driving its ongoing delivery.
A once-in-a-generation regeneration opportunity in the heart of the city, the project is reimagining the former wholesale markets as a vibrant, cohesive urban quarter. The design draws on the area’s rich trading history and archaeological legacy – including a medieval moat and manor house – to create a distinctive sense of place.
Central to the vision is a zero-carbon future. Historic street patterns are reintroduced, walking and public transport take priority, and a wide green boulevard reconnects the area with Highgate Park. Public spaces, including Manor Square, are designed to bring communities together and provide a setting for cultural events and exchange that celebrate Birmingham’s diversity.
The first phase also brings forward new market buildings for the Bull Ring Markets, alongside mixed-use workplaces, homes, cultural venues and leisure facilities, all set within a network of green streets and the new Smithfield Park.
The WAF Future Places Masterplanning Award supports this vision and Birmingham’s ambition to become a globally significant city – one that honours its history, empowers its communities, and leads in sustainable city-making. With this project set to deliver thousands of new homes, quality jobs, and vibrant public spaces, it will shape the city for generations to come.
This achievement reflects the close partnership between Lendlease and Birmingham City Council, alongside the multi-disciplinary design team led by Prior + Partners, including Field Operations, David Kohn Architects, Haworth Tompkins, dRMM, Intervention Architecture, Minesh Patel Architects, Eastside Projects, Cityscape, and many others.
