Let the battle commence: 2016 RIBA International Prize shortlist revealed

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The first ever RIBA International Prize has announced its initial shortlist.
The first ever RIBA International Prize has announced its initial shortlist. The 30 buildings included will be whittled down to 20 and then six finalists that will offer the final winner. Pictured: Heydar Aliyev Centre, Azerbaijan, by Zaha Hadid Architects.
(Image credit: Hufton + Crow)

The RIBA International Prize, the institute’s latest and greatest international accolade, has just announced the much-awaited shortlist for its first ever installment this year.

The new honour, unveiled last December (and supported by Wallpaper*), has been gathering pace, announcing a prestigious panel of judges over the past few months, who will award the top gong to a worthy building, picked from a high profile selection of works from around the globe.

Now, 30 projects have been announced to be part of this shortlist. From initial submissions from over 50 countries, the final list was whittled down to these select few, which represent a variety of practices and typologies, as well as over 20 countries. The nominees include from Zaha Hadid Architects’ Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan, to St Angela's College Cork by O’Donnell + Tuomey and Tula House in Canada by Patkau Architects, and typologies span education, cultural, commercial and residential buildings.

The schemes will be visited over the summer by the RIBA Awards committee, who will bring the list down to 20. A list of six finalists will chosen and visited by the Grand Jury this autumn, in order to pick the overall winner.

At the same time as the announcement of this shortlist, the RIBA has revealed the final jury member to be added to its list of prestigious judges; Billie Tsien, the co-founding partner of award winning architecture practice Tod Williams Billie Tsien. Earlier confirmed members of the Prize’s Grand Jury include chair Lord Rogers of Riverside, Kunlé Adeyemi, Philip Gumuchdjian and Marilyn Jordan Taylor.

Now, the battle will commence for the final winner, who will be crowned the international best building of the year in a dedicated ceremony in December 2016.

Invisible House, Australia, by Peter Stutchbury Architecture.

Invisible House, Australia, by Peter Stutchbury Architecture.

(Image credit: Michael Nicholson)

Museo Jumex, Mexico, by David Chipperfield Architects.

Museo Jumex, Mexico, by David Chipperfield Architects.

(Image credit: Simon Menges)

Office Building Moganshan Road, China, by David Chipperfield Architects.

Office Building Moganshan Road, China, by David Chipperfield Architects.

(Image credit: Simon Menges)

Oita Prefecture Art Museum, Japan, by Shigeru Ban Architects.

Oita Prefecture Art Museum, Japan, by Shigeru Ban Architects.

(Image credit: Hiroyuki Hirai)

Parkroyal On Pickering, Singapore, by WOHA Architects.

Parkroyal On Pickering, Singapore, by WOHA Architects.

(Image credit: Patrick Bingham Hall)

Public Library Of Constitucion, Chile, by Sebastian Irarrazaval Arquitectos.

Public Library Of Constitucion, Chile, by Sebastian Irarrazaval Arquitectos.

(Image credit: Felipe Diaz)

Qatar Faculty Of Islamic Studies, Qatar, by Mangera Yvars Architects Ltd.

Qatar Faculty Of Islamic Studies, Qatar, by Mangera Yvars Architects Ltd.

(Image credit: Qatar Foundation)

Rundeskogen, Norway, by dRMM Architects / Helen and Hard Architects.

Rundeskogen, Norway, by dRMM Architects / Helen and Hard Architects.

(Image credit: Alex De Rijke)

Saint Louis Art Museum, USA, by David Chipperfield Architects.

Saint Louis Art Museum, USA, by David Chipperfield Architects.

(Image credit: Simon Menges)

Saint Trinitatis Catholic Church, Germany, by Schulz und Schulz.

Saint Trinitatis Catholic Church, Germany, by Schulz und Schulz.

(Image credit: Simon Menges)

Sancaklar Mosque, Tukrey, by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture.

Sancaklar Mosque, Tukrey, by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture.

(Image credit: Cemal Emden)

Skyterrace, Singapore, by SCDA Architects Pte Ltd.

Skyterrace, Singapore, by SCDA Architects Pte Ltd.

(Image credit: Aaron Pocock)

St Angelas College Cork, Ireland, by O'Donnell + Tuomey.

St Angelas College Cork, Ireland, by O'Donnell + Tuomey.

(Image credit: Alice Clancy )

Stormen Concert Hall, Theatre and Public Library, Norway, by DRDH Architects.

Stormen Concert Hall, Theatre and Public Library, Norway, by DRDH Architects.

(Image credit: David Grandorge )

The Ring Of Remembrance International WWI Memorial Of Notre Dame de Lorette, France, by Agence d’architecture Philippe Prost.

The Ring Of Remembrance International WWI Memorial Of Notre Dame de Lorette, France, by Agence d’architecture Philippe Prost.

(Image credit: Aitor Ortiz)

Tula House, Canada, by Patkau Architects.

Tula House, Canada, by Patkau Architects.

(Image credit: James Dow)

Utec Universidad De Ingenieria y Tecnologia, Peru, Grafton Architects.

Utec Universidad De Ingenieria y Tecnologia, Peru, Grafton Architects.

(Image credit: Iwan Baan)

Via At West 57th, USA, by BIG.

Via At West 57th, USA, by BIG.

(Image credit: Nic Lehoux)

Angdong Hospital, China, by Rural Urban Framework.

Angdong Hospital, China, by Rural Urban Framework.

(Image credit: Rural Urban Framework)

Arquipelago Contemporary Arts Center, The Azores, by Menos é Mais, Arquitectos Associados.

Arquipelago Contemporary Arts Center, The Azores, by Menos é Mais, Arquitectos Associados.

(Image credit: Jose Campos)

Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa De Gobierno, Argentina, by Foster + Partners.

Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa De Gobierno, Argentina, by Foster + Partners.

(Image credit: Nigel Young)

Culture House Rozet, Netherlands, by Neutelings Riedijk Architects.

Culture House Rozet, Netherlands, by Neutelings Riedijk Architects.

(Image credit: Scagliola Brakee)

DLR Lexicon, Ireland, by Carr Cotter Naessens.

DLR Lexicon, Ireland, by Carr Cotter Naessens.

(Image credit: Dennis Gilbert)

Europaallee Baufeld E, Swizterland, by Caruso St John.

Europaallee Baufeld E, Swizterland, by Caruso St John.

(Image credit: Georg Aerni)

European Hansemuseum, Germany, Studio Andreas Heller Architects & Designers.

European Hansemuseum, Germany, Studio Andreas Heller Architects & Designers.

(Image credit: Werner Huthmacher)

Farming Kindergarten, Vietnam, by Vo Trong Nghia Architects.

Farming Kindergarten, Vietnam, by Vo Trong Nghia Architects. 

(Image credit: Hiroyuki Oki)

Fine Arts Museum Of Asturias, Spain, by Francisco Mangado - Mangado y Asociados.

Fine Arts Museum Of Asturias, Spain, by Francisco Mangado - Mangado y Asociados.

(Image credit: Pedro Pegenaute)

Fulton Centre, USA, by Grimshaw HDR and Page Ayres Cowley Architects.

Fulton Centre, USA, by Grimshaw HDR and Page Ayres Cowley Architects.

(Image credit: James Ewing)

Jockey Club Innovation Tower, Hong Kong, by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Jockey Club Innovation Tower, Hong Kong, by Zaha Hadid Architects.

(Image credit: Iwan Baan)

INFORMATION

For more information visit the RIBA website

Ellie Stathaki
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).