MMUH shortlisted for the RIBA West Midlands Awards 2026

We are thrilled to share that Midland Metropolitan University Hospital has been shortlisted for the RIBA West Midlands Awards 2026.

Opened in October 2024, this 80,000 sqm, 736-bed acute facility serves 500,000 people across Sandwell and West Birmingham, one of the most ambitious healthcare projects delivered in the UK in recent years.

The project overcame significant challenges: a constrained urban site, complex clinical adjacencies, and the need to create a hospital that balances operational efficiency with patient wellbeing. Our design prioritised natural light, intuitive wayfinding and flexible clinical spaces that can adapt as healthcare delivery evolves.

We are honoured that the judges have recognised this work. The real measure of success, however, is how the building performs for patients, staff, and the communities it serves and early feedback suggests Midland Met is delivering on that promise.

Congratulations to Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, our project partners, and the construction team who brought this vision to life. Awards shortlists celebrate collaboration as much as design.

Project: Midland Metropolitan University Hospital
Location: Smethwick, West Midlands
Size: 80,000 sq m | 736 beds
Client: Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust
Status: Operational since October 2024
Recognition: RIBA West Midlands Awards 2026 shortlist
Architects: HKS, Cagni Williams Associates, Sonnemann Toon Architects LLP 

Team: Balfour Beatty plc, Grant Associates, Martifer Group, TPS Consult, Gleeds, Stride Treglown, Curtins, AECOM, WSP, Turley, Jacobs 

Photography: Jack Hobhouse