The Kentish Town Health Centre has been recognised at the 2025 Architecture Today Awards, winning in the Healthcare category out of 90 shortlisted projects.
Hosted at the iconic Space House London earlier in the month (13 November), these awards celebrate buildings that have truly stood the test of time, remaining functional, sustainable, well maintained and valued by their communities for years after completion.
Award-Winning Healthcare Design
Kentish Town Health Centre (KTHC), situated in North West London, was designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) and opened in 2008. Commissioned to accommodate a large GP practice alongside a variety of health and community services, the centre was envisioned as more than a traditional healthcare facility. Led by Dr Roy Macgregor, former GP at KTHC and ex CHP Non-Executive Director, the project aimed to create a space that blends healthcare, community, and art. The design promotes wellbeing through openness and connectivity, integrating GP and other health services with community areas and artistic elements within a single, cohesive environment.
The three-storey centre was developed under the NHS LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) Programme, serving a diverse population across Camden and surrounding areas.
The centre offers a wide range of health provisions, including GP services, podiatry, phlebotomy, dental care, diagnostics and an Integrated Neighbourhood Team, all under one roof.
A pioneer in social prescribing, Kentish Town Health Centre has been at the forefront of community health initiatives, ensuring holistic care that goes beyond traditional clinical services.
Since its opening, the building has undergone minor internal adjustments to accommodate an expanding range of services, including hot-desking areas, a dedicated reception for children’s services, and co-location of multidisciplinary teams.
Like many projects, Kentish Town Health Centre was required to adapt to evolving healthcare needs and a growing local population.
Through careful planning and collaboration, these challenges were successfully overcome. Today, the centre continues to deliver streamlined ways of working while meeting the diverse needs of patients, proving its resilience and adaptability over time.
NHS LIFT facilities
Being recognised with this prestigious award is a testament to the lasting quality of NHS LIFT buildings. CHP continues to work closely with our customers to ensure our buildings remain welcoming, efficient, and sustainable for both patients and staff. This achievement reinforces CHP’s commitment to:
- Supporting Integrated Care and a Neighbourhood provision: The centre brings together a Neighbourhood Team, GP services, dental care, diagnostics, and community spaces under one roof.
- Maintaining high-quality environments: Flexible layouts and transparent design supporting collaboration among healthcare professionals and creating a positive experience for patients.
- Delivering long-term value: Kentish Town Health Centre exemplifies how NHS LIFT buildings can adapt and thrive over time, meeting evolving healthcare needs.
This recognition is more than an architectural accolade, it’s an example of how LIFT facilities remain relevant, resilient, and loved by their communities for years to come.
This award demonstrates the adaptability and resilience of NHS LIFT buildings, meeting not only changing healthcare needs but also the wider needs of the communities they serve. Kentish Town Health Centre is a prime example of how thoughtful design and collaboration can deliver sustainable environments that inspire wellbeing, support integrated care, and stand the test of time in an ever-changing healthcare setting.
It is quite something for KTHC to have won this award celebrating it as the best of 90 UK Health Premises. An important award to win after 16 years. CHP has maintained the building as delivered, as per the Lease Plus agreement. It remains a landmark in design and delivery. More than 2 million people have now passed through, including three prime ministers, three health secretaries and delegations from China, Singapore, Brazil, New Zealand, and Egypt.
An early example of the unique blend of clarity and sophistication that fuelled AHMM’s phenomenal success, Kentish Town Health Centre is attracting renewed interest from politicians as a model for devolved health provision. On its completion in 2008, it was clear that this was something special. Over the years it has gone from strength to strength.
You can read more on the winning entry here: Kentish Town Health Centre by AHMM – Architecture Today
Case study: Paving the way for Neighbourhood health at the Kentish Town Health Centre
