Now in its 15th year, the RIBA Stirling Prize is awarded to the architects of the best new European building built or designed in Britain.
The six buildings competing for this year's title include: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford by Rick Mather Architects; Bateman's Row, London by Theis and Khan; Christ's College School, Guildford by DSDHA; Clapham Manor Primary School, London by dRMM; MAXXI, National Museum of XXI Century Arts, Rome by Zaha Hadid Architects; and Neues Museum, Berlin by David Chipperfield Architects with Julian Harrap Architects.
"Unique in the history of the RIBA Stirling Prize, three major museum buildings make up half of the list, showing us three very different ways of building - and re-building - museums and galleries. They are the fruits of the economic boom of the last decade and sadly may represent the end of an era," Ruth Reed, RIBA President said.
"This is also the first year that two schools have been shortlisted for the prize. They represent what all schools should be: light, well-laid-out and well-equipped environments in which all students can flourish. Investment in well designed schools demonstrates to teachers and pupils how much they are valued and has measurable impact – attendance and results rise; truancy and bullying fall."
The judges include Ruth Reed, RIBA President (chair); Ivan Harbour, architect, Rogers Stirk Harbour; Edward Jones, architect, Dixon Jones; Professor Lisa Jardine, historian and writer; and Mark Lawson, broadcaster. They will visit the six buildings and convene the day of the presentation to pick the winner.
The winner will be announced at The Roundhouse, London on October 2, 2010, and broadcast live on BBC TWO’s The Culture Show at 6.30pm, presented by Kevin McCloud.
