RIBA stirling prize 2019: shortlist for the UK's best new building revealed

a private house made entirely of cork, an energy-efficient residential development, an opera house, and a new visitor center for the yorkshire sculpture park join projects by grimshaw and rogers stirk harbour + partners on a diverse shortlist for the 2019 stirling prize. last year, the award — which is presented annually to the UK’s best new building — was given to bloomberg’s european headquarters, designed by foster + partners. this year’s winner will be announced on october 8, 2019. read more on each of the shortlisted schemes below.

the macallan distillery and visitor experience by rogers stirk harbour + partners
image © joas souza (main image © mark power) | read more on designboom here

rogers stirk harbour + partners has been nominated for the macallan distillery and visitor experience in speyside, scotland. set into the landscape of the estate that has been distilling the famous single malt whisky since 1824, the building seeks to reveal the brand’s production processes and welcome visitors, while remaining sensitive to the surrounding countryside. as one approaches, grass-covered peaks rise and fall from the estate grounds, subtly signaling the activities housed beneath. once inside, a series of production cells are arranged in a linear format with an open-plan layout simultaneously revealing all stages of the production process.

london bridge station by grimshaw
image © network rail | read more on designboom here

global architecture firm grimshaw has been shortlisted for ‘london bridge station’ — a major railway terminus in london. the £1 billion redevelopment has completely transformed the station, catalyzing the london bridge quarter and connecting millions more passengers to the city’s transport network. construction started in 2013, however, due to a modular design technique with off-site construction, the station remained open throughout the project.

london bridge station by grimshaw
image © paul raftery

this modular approach can be seen in the development of the roof as a series of ribbons which comprise 1,200 pre-fabricated cassettes. the canopies are designed to be read as one structure with unifying roof lights in the concourse that signal the importance of the space.

cork house by matthew barnett howland with dido milne and oliver wilton
image © ricky jones

this house made entirely of cork was completed by matthew barnett howland with dido milne and oliver wilton. designed, tested and developed in partnership with the bartlett school of architecture UCL, the project places a great emphasis on sustainability. the dwelling features solid structural cork walls and roof and emits ‘next to zero carbon’.

cork house by matthew barnett howland with dido milne and oliver wilton
image © ricky jones

‘the biogenic construction of prefabricated cork blocks and engineered timber is carbon negative at completion and has remarkably low whole life carbon,’ say the RIBA judges. ‘all the components can be reused or recycled, and the expanded cork blocks have been made using by-product and waste from cork forestry and the cork stopper industry.’

nevill holt opera by witherford watson mann architects
image © hélène binet

designed by witherford watson mann architects, this opera building is hidden within the yard of nevill holt hall’s stable block in leicestershire. the architects carried out a forensic analysis of the history of the site and approached the brief by focusing on the idea of a room in stone which then has a cut in the ground that forms the stalls and orchestra pit.

nevill holt opera by witherford watson mann architects
image © hélène binet

‘this is a project that looks effortless, yet we all know that this belies the truth,’ say the RIBA judges. ‘the modesty, craftsmanship, care and attention that have been applied here are exceptional. country houses continually evolve, being added to over time; the opera building is an exceptional 21st century addition to nevill holt hall.’

the weston, yorkshire sculpture park by feilden fowles architects
image © peter cook

feilden fowles architects’ design of a new visitor center for the yorkshire sculpture park is described by the jury as being ‘an exquisite new gallery nestled in the yorkshire landscape’. sitting on the on the eastern boundary of the park, the building appears to be partly buried in the landscape, punctuated only by a single opening which forms the entrance.

the weston, yorkshire sculpture park by feilden fowles architects
image © peter cook

‘the new building has significantly improved its immediate environment, providing a sunny west-facing terrace and giving visitors an opportunity to look across the park from its panoramic glazed wall that gently curves to embrace the landscape,’ comment the judges. ‘the timber structure creates a warm, almost domestic, feel to the interior of the café and visitor center. services installations are discreetly hidden from view and well-integrated into the building structure.’

goldsmith street by mikhail riches with cathy hawley
image © tim crocker

a large development of 105 highly energy-efficient homes has also been nominated. ‘goldsmith street’ in norwich by mikhail riches with cathy hawley is described as ‘a coherent visual field that communicated the best of enlightened modern domestic european architecture from the outset’.

goldsmith street by mikhail riches with cathy hawley
image © tim crocker

‘the eventual layout is a simple series of seven terrace blocks arranged in four lines,’ says the jury. ‘an immediate connection with a very recognizable urban layout, the architects were able to convince the planners to accept a narrow 14m between blocks — effectively the street width — through a careful design of windows to minimize overlooking, and a very thoughtful asymmetric roof profile that allows good sunlight and daylight into the streets. the result is a very dense development, but one that is in no way oppressive.’