and just 2 out of the 6 nominations are actually in the UK this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7025966.stm

Any thoughts on what this says about construction in the UK now?

looks like a poor shortlist this year, it desperate when you consider that most of the buildings are overseas and one isn't even by a british architect! the two uk based buildings have to be the weakest, i've been to the young vic and didn't even notice the architecture! if anything i thought it was a bit grotty.

My choice would be Dresden train station or the museum in Porto

I thought the Windsor building looks pretty good as well though.

The worse ones has to be the America's Cup Building in Valencia and the Museum of Modern Literature in Germany. Both of these seem to be a throwback to the worse kind of 1970's architecture in my opinon.

Well Chipperfield is one of the few modernists left and quite probably my favourite British architect. I do prefer the America Cup Building but I'm glad he won anyway. The Museum of Modern Literature would easily be my second choice, someone it reminds me of Tange's Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima.



RIBA Stirling Prize awarded for 'low-cost' building in Germany By Vicky Shaw

The Independent (http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3035996.ece)

The "remarkably low-cost" Museum of Modern Literature in Germany last night won the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize for architecture.

Judges praised the economical building in Marbach am Neckar, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, as both "rich and restrained". The award is presented to the designers of the building which has been the most significant for the evolution of architecture in the past year.

The awards ceremony, in its 12th year, took place at north London's Roundhouse, broadcast on Channel 4. The prize is named after the late British architect Sir James Stirling.

The RIBA Stirling Prize jury visited all six shortlisted buildings and then met yesterday afternoon to pick the winner.

The judges commented: "Following reunification, texts of various well-known German authors which had previously been dispersed to East and West have now been brought together in this new museum."

It is the first time a building designed by David Chipperfield Architects has won. Visitors to the building cross an open terrace overlooking the valley, negotiating a series of shallow steps and before entering through giant hardwood doors.

A staircase then descends to the collections. "It is at this moment of descent," continued the judges, "that the building shows its pedigree – a sense of a progression to somewhere beyond, combined with a rich but selective palette of materials, and illuminated with subdued, top lighting."

The judges were Tom Bloxham MBE; Alain de Botton; Louisa Hutton, architect; Kieran Long, editor of The Architects' Journal; and Sunand Prasad. RIBA president.

Describing the winning building, the judges said: "This is a building that is simultaneously rich and restrained, a trick Chipperfield pulls off as well as any architect working today."

The five other contenders were: America's Cup Building, Valencia, Spain; Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal; Dresden Station Redevelopment, Germany; The Savill Building, Windsor; The Young Vic Theatre, London.

my fave was the cafe in Windsor...

Glenn Howells is the best architect in the UK other then Ken Shuttleworth. Both Brummies I might add. Simple, yet elegant.

I agree. Nice guy as well

on reflection i think the best building won