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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced a new global architecture award for the world’s best new building known as the RIBA International Prize. According to a statement on Tuesday, RIBA said it champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members.

The Prize will be awarded to a building of any type or budget and in any country, which exemplifies design excellence, architectural ambition and which delivers meaningful social impact. The prize is open to any qualified architect in the world.  

For the inaugural year of the RIBA International Prize, buildings entered for consideration must have been completed within the past 3 years (between 1 January 2013 and 1 February 2016). For each year thereafter, the Prize will be awarded to a building completed within 2 years. The deadline for entries is February 9, 2016.

The winner will be chosen by a Grand Jury led by acclaimed architect Richard Rogers and including Kunlé Adeyemi, founder and principal of NLÉ, Marilyn Jordan Taylor FAIA, the dean of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Fine Arts and Philip Gumuchdjian, founder of Gumuchdjian Architects, Chair of RIBA’s awards committee. The full jury will be announced in due course.

Richard Rogers, Chair of the Grand Jury welcomed the Prize. “I’m delighted to lead the jury for the inaugural RIBA International Prize, and look forward to discovering how architecture is reacting to and resolving issues posed by the changing demands of a global community. We look forward to establishing the RIBA International Prize as a new standard by which to assess and promote design excellence on a global scale.”

“We are thrilled to launch this new award to recognise and celebrate architectural excellence across the world,” RIBA’s President, Jane Duncan, said. “It is our intention that the RIBA International Prize will uncover the world’s most innovative and visionary architecture and spark local and global debates about the positive impact that well-designed buildings and places can have on their communities and environment.”

Two expert panels of jurors will visit each of the shortlisted buildings twice in person, before the Grand Jury selects six finalists to visit once more to decide on the winning building. An additional prize, the RIBA International Emerging Architect Prize, will be awarded to a building designed by a practice whose oldest founding director is under the age of 40 at the time of the building’s completion.

Kunlé Adeyemi, who has completed high profile, high quality projects including his recent work, the ‘Makoko Floating School’, said, “It’s a privilege to be a part of the inaugural RIBA International Prize grand jury, where we hope to discover the most exciting and ambitious buildings being created across the world. This is the first time RIBA have opened their awards to any architect from any country, and I look forward to exploring how this helps us learn how architects worldwide are responding to the unique challenges and opportunities of their local geographies with resourceful and innovative solutions."