The Hopkins Architects designed project - which leading Project and Cost Consultancy Davis Langdon’s Oxford office has been involved with since 1999 as Cost Manager, Project Manager and Employer’s Agent - was also the first ever hospital to be short-listed for the Stirling Prize but was pipped to the post by Madrid’s new airport building, designed by the Richard Rogers Partnership and Spanish partners Lamela Studios.

The 140-bed Evelina, based on the St Thomas’ Hospital site, brings the majority of Guy’s and St Thomas’ children’s services together under one roof. It was funded by a grant of £50 million from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and £10 million from the NHS.

“Obviously it would have been incredible to have won the Stirling Prize, but we are delighted that this project – with which we and our colleagues have been involved for so many years – has been recognised by the nation in this way,” comments Davis Langdon Oxford Partner David Smith. “It has been a privilege to have worked on such a project from the very beginning. Whilst we were keeping our fingers crossed for the result, it is reward enough simply to experience first hand on every visit the wonderful healing environment that the building and its magnificent staff have created to the benefit of many, many children and their families. I particularly remember the pure delight of one very sick little girl as she came down the Helter Skelter in the main concourse shortly after the building opened. It placed every one of the last 7 years of very hard work into complete perspective.”

The short-listing judges commented that the Evelina Children’s Hospital “stands out as a beacon of optimism. Hopkins won the job through an RIBA Competition back in 1999. It has been well worth the wait.”

Barajas Airport by Richard Rogers Partnership beat off stiff competition for the Stirling Prize including Brick House by Caruso St John Architects, Idea Store Whitechapel by Adjaye Associates, National Assembly for Wales by Richard Rogers Partnership and Phaeno Science Centre by Zaha Hadid.
Previous winners of the prize, named after architect James Stirling and given by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), include the Scottish Parliament building, the "Gherkin" Swiss Re tower in London and Gateshead's Millennium Bridge.

This recognition of Evelina adds to the list of award winning healthcare projects with which Davis Langdon’s Oxford office specialist Healthcare Group has been involved, including more recently the Critical Care Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and also the Clinical Education Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.