Finland's first high-rise wooden apartment building and OMA's Fondazione Prada art centre are among 40 projects shortlisted for the European Union's 2017 architecture prize, the Mies van der Rohe Award.

The biennial award – named after German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – is the most prestigious accolade in European architecture. It is awarded to the best building completed in the last two years by a European architect.

The 40 projects shortlisted for the 15th edition of the €60,000 (£51, 000) prize include four works each in France, Portugal and the United Kingdom, and three each in Denmark, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway.

Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Turkey each feature two shortlisted works, while Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Sweden each host one.

The 40 projects were selected from 355 works nominated for the award by a jury led by UK architect Stephen Bates and including architects Gonçalo Byrne, Peter Cachola Schmal, Pelin Derviş and Dominique Jakob. 

A third of the works tackle the challenge of contemporary architecture in relation with built heritage, like the century-old distillery in Milan that OMA has turned into a new arts centre for Fondazione Prada and the European Hansemuseum, which includes the Lübeck Castle Friary monument.

Another third of the works are housing – from collective accommodation for elderly people in Barcelona to an eight-storey apartment block in Finland made with prefabricated modules of cross-laminated timber.

Turner Prize winner Assemble also features for its work on the Granby Four Streets project in Liverpool.

Five finalists will be named next month, and the overall winner will be announced in a ceremony on 26 May 2017 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona – one of the architect's most famous works.

Past winners include Barozzi Veiga's Szczecin Philharmonic Hall in Poland (2015), 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:

Belgium

» Polyvalent Infrastructure, Spa, by Baukunst
» Navez, Schaarbeek, by MSA / V+

Denmark

» Kvæsthus Pier, Copenhagen, by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects
» Skjern River Pump Stations, Skjern, by Johansen Skovsted Arkitekter
» Kannikegården, Ribe, by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects

Finland

» Suvela Chapel, Ribe, by OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture
» Opinmäki School, Espoo, by Esa Ruskeepää
» Puukuokka Housing Block (house 1), Jyväskylä, by OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture

France

» 59 Dwellings, Neppert Gardens Social Housing, Haut-Rhin, by Lacaton & Vassal architectes
» Community Workshop, Poigny-la-Forêt, by Boidot Robin Architectes
» The Rivesaltes Memorial Museum, Rivesaltes/Ribesaltes, by Rudy Ricciotti
» Ariane futsal sports complex, Nice, by CAB Architectes

Germany

» European Hansemuseum, Lübeck, by Studio Andreas Heller GmbH Architects & Designers
» Barn, Fergitz, by Thomas Kröger Architekten

Ireland

» Model School Inchicore, Dublin, by Donaghy + Dimond
» Merrion Cricket Pavilion, Dublin, by TAKA

Italy

» Fondazione Prada, Milan, by OMA

Lithuania

» Rasu Houses, Vilnius, by Paleko Arch Studija and PLAZMA Architecture Studio

Netherlands

» Landmark Nieuw-Bergen, Nieuw-Bergen, by Monadnock
» Timmerhuis, Rotterdam, by OMA
» DeFlat Kleiburg, Amsterdam, by NL Architects and XVW Architectuur

Norway

» Weekend House at Sildegarnsholmen, Herøy, by Knut Hjeltnes AS Sivilarkitekter MNAL
» Moholt 50I50 – Timber Towers, Trondheim, by MDH Arkitekter SA and Masu planning
» Eldhusøya Tourist Route Project, Averøy, by Ghilardi+Hellsten Arkitekter

Poland

» Katyn Museum, Warsaw, by BBGK Architekci

Portugal

» House in Oeiras, Oeiras, by Pedro Domingos Arquitectos
» Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon, by AL_A
» EDP Headquarters, Lison, by Aires Mateus
» Nadir Afonso Museum for Contemporary Art, Chaves, by Studios Álvaro Siza 2 – Arquitecto, SA

Romania

» Take a(l)titude, Fagaras Mountain, by Archaeus

Spain

» Museum of the Royal Collections, Madrid, by Emilio Tuñón Architects; Mansilla + Tuñón Arquitectos
» House 1014, Granollers, by H Arquitectes
» Collective housing for elderly people and civic and health centre, Barcelona, Bonell i Gil and Peris + Toral Arquitectes

Sweden

» Östermalm's Temporary Market Hall, Stockholm, by Tengbom

Turkey

» Angelos Organic Olive Oil Mill, Izmir, by Mimarlar ve Han Tümertekin
» Beyazıt State Library Renovation, Istanbul, by Tabanlioglu Architects

UK

» Holmes Road Studios, London, by Peter Barber Architects
» Shepherdess Walk Housing, London, by Jaccaud Zein Architects
» Ely Court, London, by Alison Brooks Architects
» Granby Four Streets, Liverpool, by Assemble