Stirling Prize facts for kids
The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a super important award for amazing buildings in the United Kingdom. It's named after a famous architect called James Stirling. The award is given out every year by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The Stirling Prize celebrates the building that has made the biggest difference to architecture in the past year. The architects who win must be members of RIBA. Until 2014, buildings from anywhere in the European Union could win. But since 2015, only buildings in the UK can be considered. In the past, the winner received £20,000, but now there's no money prize.
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What is the Stirling Prize?
This award started in 1996. It's known as the most important architecture award in the UK. Before the Stirling Prize, there was an award called the RIBA Building of the Year Award.
The Stirling Prize is very well-known. Its award ceremony has even been shown on TV! Six buildings are chosen for a special "shortlist" from a longer list. These buildings first receive a RIBA National Award. These National Awards are given to buildings that show "high architectural standards" and help their local area.
Other Architecture Awards
Besides the main RIBA Stirling Prize, five other awards are given to buildings on the long list. For example, in 2015, these included:
- The RIBA National Award
- The RIBA Regional Award
- The Manser Medal
- The Stephen Lawrence Prize
- The RIBA Client of the Year Award
Before 1996, the main award was simply called the "Building of the Year Award."
Past Challenges and Changes
In 2000, some architects from Scotland and Wales felt that too many of the shortlisted buildings were in London. They said the list was "London-centric." However, the head judge disagreed. He pointed out that the very first Stirling Prize went to a building outside London, in Salford, Greater Manchester.
On September 30, 2020, RIBA announced that the awards would be put on hold until 2021. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The judges decided to pick the 2021 winner from the buildings that were shortlisted for 2020.
Winners of the Stirling Prize
Here are the buildings that have won this important award over the years.
Year | Winning work | |
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1987 | St Oswald's Hospice, Newcastle upon Tyne, by Jane and David Darbyshire | |
1988 | ![]() |
Truro Crown Courts, Truro, Cornwall, by Evans and Shalev |
1989 | Nelson Mandela Primary School, Birmingham, West Midlands, by William Howland | |
1991 | Woodlea Primary School, Bordon, Hampshire, by Nev Churcher and Sally Daniels | |
1993 | Sackler Galleries, London | |
1994 | ![]() |
Waterloo International railway station, London, by Nicholas Grimshaw |
1995 | ![]() |
McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield by Populous |
Year | Laureate | Winning work | Nominees and works | |
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1996 | Stephen Hodder | ![]() |
Centenary Building, University of Salford, Salford |
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1997 | James Stirling, Michael Wilford and Associates | ![]() |
Stuttgart Music School, Stuttgart, Germany |
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1998 | Foster and Partners | Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire |
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1999 | Future Systems | ![]() |
Lord's Media Centre, London |
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2000 | Alsop & Störmer | Peckham Library, London |
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2001 | Wilkinson Eyre Architects | ![]() |
Magna Centre, Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
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2002 | Wilkinson Eyre Architects & Gifford | ![]() |
Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Gateshead |
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2003 | Herzog & de Meuron | Laban, Deptford, London |
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2004 | Foster and Partners | ![]() |
30 St Mary Axe, London |
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2005 | EMBT & RMJM | ![]() |
Scottish Parliament building, Edinburgh |
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2006 | Richard Rogers Partnership | ![]() |
Barajas Airport Terminal 4, Madrid, Spain |
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2007 | David Chipperfield Architects | ![]() |
Museum of Modern Literature, Marbach, Germany |
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2008 | Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Alison Brooks Architects and Maccreanor Lavington |
![]() |
Accordia housing development, Cambridge |
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2009 | Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners | ![]() |
Maggie's Centre, London |
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2010 | Zaha Hadid | ![]() |
MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts, Rome, Italy |
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2011 | Zaha Hadid | ![]() |
Evelyn Grace Academy, London |
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2012 | Stanton Williams | ![]() |
Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge |
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2013 | Witherford Watson Mann Architects | Astley Castle, Nuneaton, Warwickshire |
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2014 | Haworth Tompkins | ![]() |
Everyman Theatre, Liverpool |
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2015 | Allford Hall Monaghan Morris | ![]() |
Burntwood School, Wandsworth, London |
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2016 | Caruso St John Architects | ![]() |
Newport Street Gallery, Vauxhall, London |
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2017 | dRMM | ![]() |
Hastings Pier, East Sussex |
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2018 | Foster + Partners | ![]() |
Bloomberg London |
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2019 | Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley | ![]() |
Goldsmith Street council housing, Norwich |
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2020 | Award postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
2021 | Grafton Architects | Kingston University Town House, London |
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2022 | Niall McLaughlin Architects | ![]() |
The New Library, Magdalene College, Cambridge |
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2023 | Mæ | John Morden Centre, Morden College, Blackheath, London |
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See also
In Spanish: Premio Stirling para niños
- List of architecture prizes