The Royal Institute of British Architects has announced the shortlist for the 2021 International Prize, a prestigious biennial award celebrates projects that demonstrate design excellence and social impact.

The shortlist includes three projects: Friendship Hospital, Satkhira, Bangladesh, by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA, the project is a remote community hospital set in the fragile watery landscape of the Bengal, built to withstand the ravages of climate change.

The second project is James-Simon-Galerie in Berlin designed by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin, the project is a classically inspired entrance building and visitor centre for the world leading cultural destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Museum Island.

The third project is Lille Langebro in Copenhagen, Denmark by WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency, it is a technically innovative new cyclist and pedestrian bridge that elegantly slides open and revitalises Copenhagen harbour.

"Our global architecture awards champion buildings that change the world and positively impact the community around them - and these three exemplars certainly deliver," said RIBA President Simon Allford.

"Situated in a range of locations with various purposes, from a communal hospital in Bangladesh to an innovative cyclist and pedestrian bridge in Denmark, these projects are united by human experience at their heart. Collectively they demonstrate sensitivity to their surroundings and local cultures, inclusive design, and sustainable solutions, and set a high bar for architectural excellence around the world."

"Congratulations to the talented individuals and practices shortlisted for this international accolade. I look forward to seeing which scheme is selected by our esteemed panel of judges to be named the RIBA International Prize winner."

Friendship Hospital, Satkhira / Kashef Chowdhury-URBANA (Shyamnagar, Bangladesh). Image by Asif Salman courtesy of URBANA.

Friendship Hospital, Satkhira / Kashef Chowdhury-URBANA (Shyamnagar, Bangladesh). Image by Asif Salman courtesy of URBANA.

The shortlist will be judged by a distinguished Grand Jury chaired by world-renowned multidisciplinary French architect and urban planner, Odile Decq. The jury members are: Es Devlin OBE, acclaimed British artist and designer, Jeanne Gang, American architect and founder of Studio Gang with offices in the USA and Paris, Rossana Hu, architect and founding Partner of Neri&Hu based in Shanghai, China and Brazilian, Gustavo Utrabo, winner of the 2018 RIBA International Prize and Emerging Architect Prize.

Friendship Hospital is situated in a largely rural area of south-west Bangladesh that was heavily affected by a major cyclone a few years ago, this eighty-bed, community hospital provides much needed healthcare for the local population. Blending into the surrounding water-laden landscape, the low-cost building is designed to work with and withstand the threat of rising water-levels due to climate breakdown.

The hospital is arranged around a series of intimate courtyards, which bring in light and natural ventilation. A canal of water cuts through the length of the site, separating the inpatients and outpatients, whilst collecting rainwater stored in tanks - a valuable resource in an area where the saline groundwater is unusable for most practical purposes. This outdoor space creates intimate areas for patients and visitors to sit and rest with viewpoints of the local countryside.

James-Simon-Galerie in Berlin designed by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin. Image © Simon Menges

James-Simon-Galerie in Berlin designed by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin. Image © Simon Menges

James-Simon-Galerie in Berlin designed by David Chipperfield Architects Berlin. Image © Simon Menges

Museum Island, Berlin is one of the most significant cultural sites in the world, attracting millions of visitors each year. A Unesco World Heritage Site, the James-Simon-Galerie, completed in 2018, serves as the new entrance building to Museum Island, providing both a new public space for the city and access to the other museums that are situated there, including the Pergamon Museum, the Altes Museum and the refurbished, Chipperfield designed Neues Museum. 

The building is named after James Simon, one of the city’s most important patrons of the arts in the early 20th century.

The building has been twenty years in the making and is the latest development in Museum Island’s masterplan by the practice. The challenging design brief required a new building that would respond sensitively to its historical context whilst offering a contemporary museum experience within a narrow strip of land on the island. 

Lille Langebro in Copenhagen, Denmark by WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency. Image © Rasmus Hjortshøj

Lille Langebro in Copenhagen, Denmark by WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency. Image © Rasmus Hjortshøj

Lille Langebro in Copenhagen, Denmark by WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency. Image © Rasmus Hjortshøj

Enhancing Copenhagen’s waterfront and its reputation as the world’s best city for cycling, the Lille Langebro cycle and pedestrian bridge, which sits alongside the highly trafficked Langebro bridge, offers a safe and accessible crossing for the thousands of cyclists and pedestrians that cross the canal everyday, connecting the city centre and the historic district of Christianshavn.

At 160m long, the bridge follows a gently curved path across the water, giving the bridge a light and slender visual profile that allows views across the harbour. The surrounding structural supports create two giant wings on either side of the deck and along with the pier arms are painted in dark grey to blend in with the water. 

At the centre of the bridge, two rotating sections swing open vertically, allowing for marine traffic to pass through. The mechanism is buried within the bridge’s piers and opening structure so as not to interrupt the continuous sweeped line across the water. This is the first time this engineering approach has been used in swinging bridge design, breaking new ground in the field.

The three buildings have been selected following a rigorous judging process, from a long list of 16 exceptional new projects in 11 countries. 

The winner of the RIBA International Prize and the RIBA International Emerging Architect Prize, which celebrates the future talent of the profession, will be announced in early 2022.

In 2018, Aleph Zero + Rosenbaum's Children Village won the RIBA International Prize. 

Top image: Friendship Hospital, Satkhira, Bangladesh, by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA. Image © Asif Salman Courtesy of URBANA.

> via RIBA