WHAT WE'RE HEARING: RIBA Stirling Prize 2013 shortlist announced

Park Hill, Sheffield, by HawkinsBrowns Architects with Studio Egret West Be:Newhall, by Alison Brooks Architects University of Limerick Student Halls and Medical School, by Grafton Architects Astley Castle, Warwickshire, by Witherford Watson Mann Architects

The shortlist for the most prestigious prize in British architecture has been announced. While it is rare for a housing project to win, this year the RIBA 2013 Stirling Prize judges have nominated four residential schemes out of a shortlist of six for the top prize. Among the housing schemes are Alison Brooks Architects‘ Be:Newhall development in Harlow, Essex, Grafton Architects’ student halls and medical school for the University of Limerick, Ireland, and Hawkins Brown Architects’ refurbishment and redesign of the 1960s housing estate Park Hill in Sheffield, in collaboration with Studio Egret West. Another renovation and reuse project is the only single house on the shortlist – Astley Castle in Warwickshire by Witherford Watson Mann Architects– which has been commissioned by the Landmark Trust and is to be used for holiday lettings. The bookies’ favourite, however, is Niall McLaughlin’s Bishop Edward King Chapel in Oxfordshire. Also on the list is the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre designed by Heneghan Peng Architects. The last housing project to win was Accordia in Cambridge in 2008 designed by Maccreanor Lavington. For more information about each project, visit: RIBA Stirling Prize 2013

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