The 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize has been won by Witherford Watson Mann for Astley Castle (Nuneaton, Warwickshire). The winner was just announced at a ceremony at London's Central Saint Martins, a building designed by last year's winner Stanton Williams. Astley Castle was also voted as BBC readers' favourite earlier this week. Jury-member Stephen Hodder stated that "engaging with the building was such a surprise for [the jury]," and described it as an "unassuming" building with great "rigour."
Astley Castle by Witherford Watson Mann Architects wins the 2013 @RIBA #StirlingPrize #architecture pic.twitter.com/YQg6TIQGjS
— RIBA (@RIBA) September 26, 2013
The Stirling Prize – considered the UK’s most prestigious architecture award – is presented annually to the “building that has made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture in the past year”. Astley Castle was chosen over five other shortlisted candidates, including Park Hill by Hawkins/Brown with Studio Egret West.
The jury included Sheila O’Donnell (O’Donnell + Tuomey), Paul Williams (Stanton Williams), Stephen Hodder PRIBA (who won the inaugural Stirling Prize in 1996), Dame Vivien Diffield and Tom Dykchoff (journalist). According to the RIBA, the "Stirling Prize is judged on a range of criteria including design vision, innovation and originality, capacity to stimulate engage and delight occupants and visitors, accessibility and sustainability, how fit the building is for its purpose and the level of client satisfaction".
President of the RIBA, Stephen Hodder, also awarded the RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize to Montpelier Community Nursery by AY Architects, and the RIBA Client of the Year Award to the National Trust for Stower Gardens Visitor Centre by Cowper Griffith (which recently won an RIBA National Award). Slip House by Carl Turner Architects won the prestigious RIBA Manser Medal (for which Astley Castle had also been shortlisted for), while Cooled Conservatories and Gardens by the Bay in Singapore by Wilkinson Eyre won the RIBA Lubetkin Prize.
Check out past Stirling Prize winners on ArchDaily:
