Architecture firm dRMM has been awarded this year's RIBA Stirling Prize for its sensitive revival of a seaside pier in Hastings, England.
The London studio ? led by architects Alex de Rijke, Philip Marsh and Sadie Morgan ? wins the biggest prize in UK architecture for transforming a century-old, ruined pier into a new attraction for the seaside town.
RIBA president and jury chair Ben Derbyshire described the project as a "masterpiece of regeneration and inspiration".
"Hastings Pier showcases the remarkable skills, tenacity and problem-solving flair of its talented architects, dRMM," he said. "The architects and local community have transformed a neglected wreck into a stunning, flexible new pier to delight and inspire visitors and local people."
Hastings Pier was first constructed in 1872. It enjoyed great success in the 1930s, but became neglected in recent decades, and was permanently closed in 2008. Two years later, it was ravaged by a devastating fire.
The architects were tasked with repairing the structure, and making it suitable for a wide range of activities. To do this, they rejected the typical pier format ? a deck covered with poorly constructed commercial booths ? and instead opted for a more open space.
Their redesign is completed by a visitor centre clad in salvaged wooden boards and a grand external staircase that doubles as a performance space.

The Stirling Prize judges ? who included Indian architect Anupama Kundoo, Caru...