THE "remarkably low-cost" Museum of Modern Literature in Germany has won the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture.
Judges praised the economical building in Marbach am Neckar, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, as both "rich and restrained".
The award, now in its 12th year, is presented to the designers of the building which has been the most signific
ant for the evolution of architecture in the past year.
The judges said: "Following reunification, texts of various well-known German authors which had previously been dispersed to east and west have now been brought together in this new museum.
"In a suitably commemorative manner the building forms a small Acropolis attached to the National Schiller Museum on a ridge overlooking the valley of the River Neckar.
"This is a remarkably low-cost building in a high-cost country at just £2,180 per square metre."
The prize is named after the late British architect Sir James Stirling.
It is the first time a building designed by David Chipperfield Architects has won.
Visitors to the building cross an open terrace overlooking the valley, climb shallow steps then enter through giant hardwood doors.
A staircase descends to the collections with their required diminishing lighting levels.
The judges continued: "It is at this moment of descent that the building shows its pedigree - a sense of a progression to somewhere beyond, combined with a rich but selective palette of materials and illuminated with subdued top lighting."
The RIBA Stirling Prize jury, comprising architecture specialists and lay judges visited all six shortlisted buildings before picking the winner.
The five other contenders were: the America's Cup Building, Valencia, Spain, by David Chipperfield Architects; Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal - Office for Metropolitan Architecture with Arup-AFA; Dresden Station Redevelopment, Dresden, Germany - Foster and Partners; The Savill Building, Windsor - Glenn Howells Architects; The Young Vic Theatre, London - Haworth Tompkins.
The full article contains 315 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
