Each year, Hyphen recognises emerging talent through the Chris Henderson Drawing Prize. Congratulations to Kieran Lawlor, who has become the winner of 2025!
Set up in honour of Hyphen’s late founder, the prize celebrates excellence in architectural drawing, recognising students and graduates who use drawing not just as a technical tool, but as a way of thinking, testing and communicating ideas.
We’re proud to support and inspire the next generation of talent through The Chris Henderson Drawing Prize. Awarded in partnership with the University of Portsmouth, the prize reflects our commitment to mentorship and inclusivity.
Kieran’s project, The Tigris Bathhouse, impressed us with its intentionality, conviction and the effective use of hand drawings. His work explores how architecture can support healing and reconnection in post-conflict Baghdad, Iraq. The project reimagines a traditional bathhouse concept as a civic space for reflection, ritual and resilience, supporting the creation of green spaces along the Tigris River area.
At Hyphen, we work across borders and sectors, but hand drawing remains a universal language that connects ideas, people and places. We value its ability to add a human touch to design, especially in projects deeply connected to the local culture.
Ian Henderson, Hyphen architect and the award judge, commented:
“It was refreshing to see a project that did not rely solely on computer renderings, which meant the drawings had a softer and more tactile feel about them.”
Kieran embraced the best of both worlds by using the freedom of the pencil and the endless possibilities of Photoshop to create hybrid drawings:
“I was inspired by a visit to the Drawing Matter collection in London, where I studied Le Corbusier, Peter Wilson and Carlo Scarpa’s drawings. The clarity with which they could communicate ideas using simple methods was impressive.”
Reflecting on the art of hand drawing in the age of Artificial Intelligence, he said:
“AI-aided methods are extremely powerful and useful to the profession when used alongside hand drawing. Automation is only as good as the way it is programmed. Hand drawings challenge the software and remain the fastest way to test ideas and get the basics right.”
As a new professional looking ahead, Kieran hopes architecture will be more deeply integrated into the entire design process:
“We need to start with the end user and work backwards. Architects can design spaces that genuinely improve the quality of life and embed sustainable strategies from the outset, so we have a responsibility to communicate these benefits to be understood and valued.”
The £500 prize will support Kieran’s next steps, helping fund his work abroad at the Ancona Waterlines Laboratory and attendance of the Venice Biennale in Italy. The remainder will go towards his RIBA Part 3 studies.
Through this prize, we continue to recognise emerging talent and honour the legacy of Chris Henderson, while keeping the language of hand drawing alive in a fast-changing profession.
