Lloyd’s of London wins 2026 Test of Time Award

We are delighted that the Lloyd’s of London building has won the workplace category at the Architecture Today Test of Time Awards. The awards celebrate buildings and places that have proved their value over time, recognising projects that have demonstrated lasting environmental, functional, community and cultural value.

The Lloyd’s of London building, completed in 1986 by Richard Rogers Partnership (now RSHP), was designed as a future-proof headquarters for the world’s leading insurance market. Rather than a fixed architectural solution, the winning proposal was based on a long-term strategy prioritising flexibility.

The design centres on a vast, open underwriting space known as “The Room,” surrounded by concentric gallery floors that can expand or contract depending on operational needs. This “doughnut” arrangement is organised around a central 60-metre glazed barrel-vaulted atrium, creating a highly legible and flexible internal environment.

A defining feature of the building is the externalisation of services: lifts, stairs, mechanical systems, and plant rooms housed in six perimeter towers. This “served and servant” approach maximises usable internal space while enabling maintenance and upgrades without disrupting daily market operations. It also incorporates semi-public amenities at lower levels, contributing to the surrounding urban fabric and connecting to the historic Leadenhall Market.

Designed with flexibility and adaptability at its heart, this pioneering inside-out approach has enabled the building to evolve alongside the changing needs of the insurance market, while retaining its distinctive architectural identity.

The judges said: “An audacious experiment in high-tech, the Lloyds building was described in early reviews as an oil rig, a coffee percolator, a motor-cycle engine and a building on life support. But its inside-out diagram has proved flexible and resilient, and its status as a much-loved landmark has been fundamental to Lloyds of London’s status and success. It is also the youngest ever structure to have been awarded Grade I listed status. Celebrating its 40th birthday this year, the young pretender has become a National Treasure.”