Buildings in Albania, Serbia and Slovakia have been shortlisted for the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award for the first time.
The presence of buildings in new countries with the potential to win Europe's most prestigious prize is proof of the "new agenda" of architecture in Europe said the jury.
Re-centring discussion "keeps architecture alive"
Awarded biannually, the prize is given to the best example of European architecture completed in the last two years by a European architect. It is named after Ludvig Mies van der Rohe, the German-American who was at the vanguard of modernist architecture in the 20th century.
Skanderbeg Square, by 51N4E. Photo by Filip Dujardin
"The 40 works highlight a new agenda that asks for new ways of thinking," said jury chair Dorte Mandrup, founder of Danish practice Dorte Mandrup. "Excellence and skilfulness are inherent in all of them, but this is not enough; it is necessary that they also make an impact and make architects themselves think differently about the profession," she added.

"It is very refreshing to see how the architectural debate moves around Europe, changing its centre of discussion from one place to another over the years. This keeps architecture alive."
Architecture in post-communist countries recognised
Selected from 383 nominations by a jury of seven that included George Arbid, Angelika Fitz, ?tefan Ghenciulescu, Kamiel Klaasse, María Langarita and Frank McDonald, the s...