Zaha Hadid can look forward to receiving a major British architectural award with her stunning Hungerburgbahn (Nordpark) funicular in Innsbruck, Austria. It is also not the first time that the work of Nicholas Grimshaw was shortlisted: after the project "Eden" (2001), the railway station "Bailmer Arena" in Amsterdam claims the victory.
The other four finalist buildings are in the UK. Among them - the concert hall "Royal Festival Hall" in London, renovated by the workshop "Eliz & Morrison". This is a rare case for the Sterling Prize, since this is not a new building, but the restoration and reconstruction of the 1st category architectural monument, which, however, deserved the applause of the experts.
London "Westminster Academy" by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris is a school built with great attention to detail, a project of high architectural quality, which is rarely found among the buildings of the British national education system.
Manchester Justice Center by Denton Corker Marshall showcases an original court building solution that combines a sophisticated and functional interior design with an attractive appearance.
The Accordia high-density residential complex in Cambridge is an example of a fruitful collaboration between local authorities and architects and urban planners: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Maccreanor Lavington and Alison Brooks Architects.
The winner will be announced on October 11, not in London, as usual, but in Liverpool, the European Capital of Culture 2008.
The short list of the Stirling Prize is made by the jury of the best buildings that have received the National and European awards of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) this year.
