Alain de Botton Wins Architecture Accolade

Acclaimed author, journalist and broadcaster Alain de Botton , has been recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects for his Balancing Barn in Suffolk – as part of the RIBA awards for buildings in the UK. His innovative and creative structure is one of a new generation of holiday homes devised by de Botton for those in search of a kind of Grand Designs-meets-Landmark Trust experience.

The balancing barn, by the Dutch architects MVDRV, is one of a handful of gongs awarded by the Institute , who shortlisted a bewildering range of buildings, from grandstanding urban monuments to teetering rural retreats.

The RIBA Awards have been running continuously since 1966 and consider any architectural feat, no matter the shape, size, budget or location. RIBA claims that its award winning schemes set the standard for great architecture all across the country.