There were major stories out of the UK this week, with the announcement of Stirling Prize and RIBA Lubetkin Prize finalists, there were also impressive international awards wins for Australian firms, and some interesting news from Scotland and the Sub-continent.

United Kingdom

The RIBA Lubetkin Prize for the best international building outside the EU shortlist has been announced:

- Boston Museum of Fine Arts, USA by Foster + Partners

- Guangzhou Opera House, China by Zaha Hadid Architects

- Masdar Institute, AbuDhabi by Foster + Partners

- The Met (high rise housing), Bangkok by WOHA

- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA by Rick Mather and SMBW

Masdar Institute, Foster & Partners image via RIBA

The Stirling Prize organisers issued their press release with the odds being offered by a UK betting agency.

The six buildings competing for this year's title and their odds according to William Hill are:

  • An Gaelaras, Derry by O'Donnell and Tuomey (William Hill odds: 8/1)
  • The Angel Building, London by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) (7/1)
  • Evelyn Grace Academy, London by Zaha Hadid Architects (5/2)
  • Folkwang Museum, Essen, Germany by David Chipperfield Architects (5/1)
  • Olympic Velodrome London 2012 by Hopkins (2/1)
  • Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford by Bennetts Associates (4/1)

Michael Hopkins's 2012 Olympic Velodrome in London/ Photograph: Anthony Palmer via RIBA

Scotland, UK

According to the Aberdeen Times, six design teams bidding to transform Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens have been announced. teams tasked with transforming Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens into a new £140m "civic heart" for the city have been unveiled.

Among the front-runners are the designers of the new World Trade Centre, London's iconic Gherkin skyscraper and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial in Hyde Park.

India

According to WAN, International architecture, urbanism and design practice Broadway Malyan has delivered masterplans for the creation of new communities built around cricket grounds, for client Anglo Indian, a leading real estate development and investment company, which is acquiring land and instigating development strategies in tier one and two cities in India.