News: 40 projects have been shortlisted for the European Union's 2015 architecture prize – the Mies van der Rohe Award – including a woodland crematorium in Sweden and a rowing centre in a Portuguese wine region (+ slideshow).
Named after German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the biennial €60,000 (£45,000) award is the most prestigious accolade in European architecture and is awarded to the best building completed in the last two years by a European architect.
The 40 projects shortlisted for the 14th edition of the prize represent 17 countries. They were selected by a jury led by Italian architect Cino Zucchi, and also including Danish architect Lene Tranberg and Bolles+Wilson co-founder Peter L Wilson.
A total of 16 cultural projects were chosen, including BIG's Danish Maritime Museum, Nieto Sobejano's art centre in southern Spain and a spiky concert hall in Poland.
There are also three religious buildings in the shortlist – a timber-clad church in Cologne, an English chapel and a mosque in Istanbul.
A family property in Spain was the only one private house to be included, but residential developments were also recognised in Berlin and Bucharest.
"This edition of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe, confirms the high quality of European architecture, its creative and innovative potential and its ability to adapt to social, political and economic changes," said Antoni Vives, deputy mayor of Barcelona and the president of the Fundació Mies van der Rohe, which organises the prize.
"Barcelona is committed to a sustainable urban development and as a promoter and organiser of the prize together with the European Commission it supports the values of contemporary architecture and those professionals who are committed to building our cities," he said.
Five finalists will be named later this month, and the overall winner will be announced in a ceremony on 8 May at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona – one of the architect's most famous works.
Past winners include the Harpa Concert and Conference Centre in Iceland (2013), David Chipperfield's Neus Museum in Berlin (2011) and Snøhetta's Opera House in Oslo (2009).
Scroll down for the full list of shortlisted projects:
Austria
» 2226 Lustenau, by Baumschlager Eberle Lustenau
Belgium
» Hostel Wadi in Hoge Rielen, Kasterlee, by Studio Associato Bernardo Secchi-PaolaViganò
Germany
» Immanuel Church, Cologne, by Sauerbruch Hutton
» Gleisdreieck Park, Berlin, by Atelier Loidl
» R50 Cohousing, Berlin, by Heide & Von Beckerath and Ifau und Jesko Fezer
» Ravensburg Art Museum, Ravensburg, by Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei
Denmark
» Vartov Square, Copenhagen, by Hall McKnight
» Moesgaard Museum, Højbjerg, by Henning Larsen Architects
» Danish Maritime Museum, Helsingør, by BIG
» Childrens Home of the Future, Kerteminde, by CEBRA Architecture
» Forfatterhuset Kindergarten, Copenhagen, by COBE
Spain
» Atrio - Relais Châteaux, Cáceres, by Mansilla + Tuñón Arquitectos
» Public Equipment: Urban Park and Transportation Hub, Logroño, by Ábalos + Sentkiewicz Arquitectos and Arquitectura Agronomia
» Public Library, Ceuta, by Paredes Pedrosa Arquitectos
» Luz House, Cilleros, Cáceres, by Arquitectura-g
» Contemporary Art Centre, Córdoba, by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos
France
» Soulages Museum, Rodez, by ES-RCRArquitectes
» FRAC Regional Contemporary Artwork Collection, Dunkerque, by Lacaton & Vassal Architectes
» Marseille Vieux Port, Marseille, by Foster + Partners
» Redevelopment of the New Waterfront, Thessaloniki, by Nikiforidis-Cuomo Architects
Ireland
» University of Limerick, Medical School, Student Housing, Piazza and Pergola, Limerick, by Grafton Architects
» Waterford Medieval Museum, Waterford, by Waterford City Council Architects
Iceland
» H71a, Reykjavík, by Studio Granda
Italy
» Expo Gate, Milan, by Scandurra Studio Architettura
» Antinori Winery, San Casciano Vsl di Pesa, Firenze, by Archea Associati
Netherlands
» Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, by Cruz Y Ortiz Arquitectos
» Education Centre Erasmus Mc, Rotterdam, by Kaan Architecten
» De Rotterdam, Rotterdam, by OMA
» Rozet, Culture House, Arnhem, by Neutelings Riedijk Architects
Poland
» Silesian Museum, Katowice, by Riegler Riewe Architekten
» Philarmonic Hall Szczecin, Szczecin, by BarozziVeiga and Studio A4
» Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warszawa, by Architects Lahdelma & Mahlamäki
Portugal
» Arquipélago Contemporary Arts Centre, Ribeira Grande, Azores, by João Mendes Ribeiro Arquitecto and Menos é Mais Arquitectos Associados
» High Performance Rowing Centre, Vila Nova de Roz Côa, by SpacialAR-TE
Romania
» Urban Spaces Dogarilor Apartment Building, Bucharest, by ADN Birou de Arhitectura
Sweden
» The New Crematorium of the Woodland Cemetery, Enskede, Stockholm, by Johan Celsing Arkitektkontor
Turkey
» Sancaklar Mosque, Istanbul, by Emre Arolat Architects
UK
» Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, London School of Economics, London, by O'Donnell + Tuomey
» Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, by Haworth Tompkins
» Bishop Edward King Chapel, Oxford, by Niall McLaughlin Architects