The £20,000 prize, awarded by the RIBA and Architects Journal, is given to the architects of the building that has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year. Interestingly, nominated buildings do not need to be in the UK.
 
William Hill are again offering odds on the shortlisted buildings. The six buildings competing for this year’s Stirling Prize are:
 
1. America's Cup Building, Valencia, Spain by David Chipperfield Architects (odds:3/1)
2. Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal by Office for Metropolitan Architecture (odds:3/1)
3. Dresden Station Redevelopment, Dresden, Germany by Foster + Partners (odds:3/1)
4. Museum of Modern Literature, Marbach am Neckar, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects (odds:5/1)
5. The Savill Building, Windsor, by Glenn Howells Architects (odds:5/1)
6. Young Vic Theatre, London SE1 by Haworth Tompkins (odds:7/1)
 
All shortlisted buildings can be seen at www.architecture.com
 
Jack Pringle, RIBA President, said:
 
“The shortlist once again presents us with a fantastic range of projects and the tremendously difficult task for the judges to choose a winner. Three very different art centres are in the running – Porto’s striking concert hall Casa da Musica, the Museum of Modern Literature in Germany and the re-designed Young Vic Theatre in London. They compete with the redevelopment of the late nineteenth century Dresden railway station by Foster + Partners, a modern park pavilion and visitor centre in Windsor Great Park and the America’s Cup building, the centrepiece of Valencia’s re-organised old industrial port.
 
“These ambitious projects are the very best in contemporary architecture, reflecting the work of our members in Europe as well as the UK. The RIBA’s best architects have long found some of their most interesting commissions in continental Europe – but perhaps it’s up to UK clients to ensure a better representation of buildings in Britain in future years’ shortlists.”
 
The RIBA Stirling Prize jury, which will visit all six shortlisted buildings and then meet for a final time on the day of the presentation to pick the winner, comprises architecture specialists and lay judges from the arts. The 2007 judges are Tom Bloxham MBE – chair, Urban Splash; Alain de Botton – author and philosopher; Louisa Hutton – architect; Kieran Long – Editor, The Architects’ Journal and Sunand Prasad – architect and RIBA President (from 1 September 2007).
 
The winner of the Stirling Prize will be announced at the Roundhouse in north London on Saturday 6 October, televised live on Channel 4 between 8 and 9pm.
 
Previous winners include Barajas Airport by Richard Rogers Partnership, The Scottish Parliament by EMBT / RMJM Ltd, 30 St. Mary Axe by Foster + Partners, the Laban Centre by Herzog & de Meuron, Gateshead Millennium Bridge by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, and Peckham Library and Media Centre by Alsop Architects.