AleaOlea architecture & landscape's smoothly-finished Ancient Church of Vilanova de la Barca in Spain, Emre Arolat Architects' atypical religious building Sancaklar Mosque in Istanbul, Stefano Boeri's fully-filled Vertical Forest in Milan, Renzo Piano's Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens are named among this year's RIBA International Excellence Awards. 

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announces the winners of the RIBA Awards for International Excellence and the 2018 RIBA International Emerging Architect. The 20 new buildings have been selected from entries to the world’s most prestigious award for architecture, the RIBA International Prize 2018.

The RIBA Awards for International Excellence 2018 have been awarded to 20 exceptional new buildings in 16 countries, ranging from large urban infrastructure schemes to private homes; cultural destinations to civic spaces; educational buildings to places of worship.

Image © Leonardo Finotti

Aleph Zero's Children Village in Brazil

Gustavo Utrabo and Pedro Duschenes, founders of Brazilian architecture firm Aleph Zero, are the recipients of the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2018. Their project, the Children Village in Formoso do Araguaia, Brazil, designed with Rosenbaum, is one of the 20 winners announced today. 

The Children Village provides boarding accommodation for 540 senior school children at the Canuanã School. Run and funded by the Bradesco Foundation, it is one of forty schools providing education for disadvantaged local children and is the first of their projects to use design to improve the quality of education.

Aleph Zero operates in a range of areas, from the design of furniture, exhibitions, residential and commercial architecture, to urban-scale projects for both public and private sector clients. Constructed in prefabricated and reforested wood, Children Village is a powerful demonstration to the community of the importance of using of natural resources in a rational and sustainable way.

Image © Cemal Emden

Emre Arolat Architectures' Sancaklar Mosque in Istanbul

"The RIBA Awards for International Excellence 2018 are a testament to the breadth and quality of architecture being created around the world. These 20 outstanding projects were selected for their architectural ambition, design ingenuity and excellence of execution. Importantly, they demonstrate the significant and far-reaching contribution that architecture makes to our daily lives," said RIBA President Ben Derbyshire.

"These qualities are exemplified in the inspiring project Children Village by Aleph Zero, who we are delighted to announce as RIBA International Emerging Architect 2018."

Image © Michel Denancé

Renzo Piano Building Workshop's Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens

"It's always a pleasure to be able to recognise and reward emerging talent. We were impressed by the way the architects embraced the question of how architecture can stimulate its users, as well as the surrounding community, in a region rich in natural resources but poor in opportunities, education and economic resources," said Julia Barfield, Chair of the RIBA Awards Group.

"Aleph Zero are philosophical, reflectful and thoughtful architects who are reinterpreting the Brazilian vernacular using the abundant natural resources that surround the site in an innovative way which inherently promotes both economic and environmental sustainability."

Image © Amit Geron

Mount Herzl Memorial Hall in Israel: Kimmel Eshkolot Architects in collaboration with Kalush Chechick architects, Israel

The 20 winning projects announced today form the longlist for the RIBA International Prize 2018; the shortlist of four buildings will be announced in September 2018 and the winner will be revealed in November 2018.

Image © Mahesh Mendis

Studio Dwelling at Rajagiriya by Palinda Kannangara Architects

The RIBA International Prize 2018 will be awarded to the most significant and inspirational building of the year. The winning project will exemplify design excellence, architectural ambition and deliver meaningful social impact. The RIBA International Prize is open to any qualified architect in the world.

Image © Makoto Yhoshida

Tatsumi Apartment House in Tokyo by Hiroyuki Ito Architects

The inaugural RIBA International Prize was awarded in 2016 to Grafton Architects, curators of the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale, for their outstanding university building, UTEC (Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología) in Lima, Peru.

Image © Harunori Noda

Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo by NIKKEN SEKKEI

Image © Giovanni Nardi

Vertical Forest in Milan by Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra), Italy

Image © Tim Soar

University of Amsterdam by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Image © Nick Hufton

Musee d'arts de Nantes in France by Stanton Williams

Image © Ronald Tilleman

Museum Voorlinden in Wassenaar, Netherlands by Kraaijvanger Architects

Image © Tamás Bujnovszky

M4 Metro Line Budapest in Budapest, Hungary by FŐMTERV-PALATIUM- UVATERV Consortium with Budapesti Építőművészet Műhely, Gelesz és Lenzsér, Puhl és Dajka, sporaarchitects

Image © Lichtbildarena Barbara Vetter & Vincent Heiland

Lanka Learning Center in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka by feat.collective

Image © Tamás  Bujnovszky

Central European University - Phase 1 in Budapest, Hungary by O'Donnell + Tuomey

Image © Roland Halbe

BBVA Bancomer Tower in Mexico City, Mexico by LegoRogers (Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partnersand Legorreta + Legorreta)

Image © Simon Menges

Buendner Kunstmuseum Chur in Chur, Switzerland by Barozzi Veiga, Spain

Image © Trevor Mein

Captain Kelly's Cottage in Tasmania, Australia by John Wardle Architects

Image © James Dow

Audain Art Museum in Whistler, BC Canada by Patkau Architects

Image © Nigel Young

Xiao Jing Wan University in Shenzhen, China by Foster+Partners

The winner of the second RIBA International Prize will be announced in November 2018. The RIBA International Prize Grand Jury is chaired by Elizabeth Diller, founding partner of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, with jurors Joshua Bolchover, co-founder of Rural Urban Frameworks and winner of the RIBA International Emerging Architect 2016; and non-architect juror Wayne McGregor CBE.

Top image: The Ancient Church of Vilanova de la Barca in Lleida, Spain by AleaOlea architecture & landscape. Image © Adria Goula

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