Image: Hepworth Wakefield has been shortlisted

Belfast's £18.1m Lyric Theatre and West Yorkshire's £35m Hepworth Wakefield gallery have been named among six UK buildings shortlisted for the 2012 RIBA Stirling Prize.

Dublin, Ireland-based O'Donnell + Tuomey were responsible for the "crafted and careful reincarnation" of the theatre on a suburban site in the heart of the Northern Ireland capital.

Meanwhile, David Chipperfield Architects oversaw the design of the "stunningly original" contemporary art attraction in Wakefield, which opened its doors in May 2011.

Among the design features of the Lyric Theatre is the use of distinctive red Belfast brick, while Hepworth Wakefield is "characterised by a series of 10 trapezoidal blocks".

Both buildings have already received a RIBA Award and will compete against other venues such as London's Olympic Stadium for this year's Stirling Prize.

RIBA president Angela Brady said: "The annual RIBA Stirling Prize celebrates architectural excellence and this year we have an incredibly strong list of contenders."

The six shortlisted buildings will be visited by judges, who will then meet for the final time on the day of the presentation - 13 October - in order to pick a winner.

Click here for more details about the shortlist for the 2012 RIBA Stirling Prize, along with information about past winners and the judging panel.

Image: Iwan Baan