The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has narrowed its initial list of 44 British Buildings to just six. The Stirling Prize Shortlist is dominated by Renzo Piano's Shard and Zaha Hadid's London Aquatics Center, but there are other strong contenders, too.
Each of the half-dozen buildings are located in England – half in the nation's capital – and all but the Shard paid for with public money. Stirling Prize shortlist newcomer Renzo Piano and former winner Zaha Hadid are the most notable of the three London entries, and are joined by O'Donnell and Tuomey's London School of Economics' Saw Swee Hock Student Centre.
Moving further north, Mecanoo's polarizing Library of Birmingham could perhaps prove a wildcard, while Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios Manchester Metropolitan University School of Art, and Haworth Tompkins Liverpool Everyman Theatre round out what's proving a very good crop of British buildings.
Who will win? Hadid or Piano seem most likely contenders for the prize, with the Italian's dominating Shard our pick to win due to its overall impact. We'll know for sure come October 16.
Source: RIBA
