World's 13 amazing architectural marvels

Thirteen buildings have received the RIBA International Awards for architectural excellence in 2011.

The Royal Institute of British Architects has honoured these buildings for their breathtaking beauty and futuristic design.

Masdar Institute Campus, Abu Dhabi
Architect: Foster and Partners
Gross internal area: 45,000 sq m

The campus uses traditional architectural elements and modern materials for a perfect blend of natural lighting and cooling that minimizes energy needs both indoors and outdoors.

The campus has six buildings, including laboratories, teaching rooms and apartments.

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Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney, Australia

Architect: BVN
Cost to build: $14 million
Gross internal area: 3,000 sq m

The Youth Mental Health Building has two floors for consulting and patient interaction and two floors of research laboratories.

The building has also won a prestigious architecture award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, Spain.

Guangzhou Opera House, Guangzhou, China

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Area: 70,000 sq m
Value: $200 million

The structure resembles two pebbles along the Pearl River. The 1,800-seat auditorium looks like a futuristic space ship under the stars.

Iron Market, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Architect: John McAslan & Partners
Gross internal area: 4,645 sq m

It took $12 million to rebuild the Iron Market in Haiti. The reconstruction was sponsored by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien. More than 900 vendors sell arts and crafts, fruit and vegetables, dry produce and beauty products here.

Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

Architect: WOHA
Value: $100 million
Gross internal area: 26,595 sq m

The Alila Villas Uluwatu is a group of buildings, terraces, pools and gardens situated 100 metres above the Indian Ocean on a limestone cliff on Bali's Bukit Peninsula.

Stanislavsky Factory, Moscow, Russia

Architect: John McAslan & Partners
Gross internal area: 60,400 sq m

The historic Stanislavsky Factory and theatre site in central Moscow was transformed into a vivid cultural hub.

School of the Arts - World's Best Learning Building, Singapore

Value: $100 million
Gross internal area: 52,945 sq m

The School of the Arts is Singapore's specialised independent pre-tertiary arts school.

Galleria Centercity Department Store, Cheonan, Republic of Korea

Architect: UN Studio
Gross internal area: 66,700 sq m

The Galleria Cheonan functions as a semi-cultural meeting place as well besides being a department store. The store gives a feel of a museum.

Laboratory Building, Basel, Switzerland

Architect: David Chipperfield Architects
Gross internal area: 11,600 sq m

This beautifully designed glass facade gives a contemporary look to the Novartis' laboratory.

Loft Gardens, Istanbul, Turkey

Architect: Tabanlioglu
Value: $20 million
Gross internal area: 22,500 sq m

The 21 storey residential building is one of the most impressive buildings in Istanbul.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA

Architect: Foster and Partners
Value: $180 million
Gross internal area: 11,270 sq m

The museum houses 53 new galleries over across 4 storeys.

North College, Rice University, Houston, USA

Architect: Hopkins Architects Partnership
Value: $110 million
Gross internal area: 300,000 sq m

The building has 400 rooms, to accommodate up to 650 students. Each quadrangle is completed by a dining space.

It has a glass-covered cafe and a special exhibition gallery.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Architect: Rick Mather Architects
Value: $150 million
Gross internal area: 165,000 sq.ft

The museum has three new floors of gallery space and a shop, library, lecture hall, conservation studios, offices and a cafe and restaurant overlooking a four acre sculpture garden.