A NEW theatre and conference centre at an Oxford University college is in the running to be named the best new building in the country.

The £9m Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre at Worcester College is a new 120-seat, single-storey facility, which also features a social learning space.

The new centre is named after Nazrin Shah, the eldest son of the Sultan of Perak in Malaysia, who is an alumnus of the college in Walton Street.

Now the eye-catching building has been shortlisted for the 2018 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize for the UK’s best new building - the industry’s highest accolade.

The college theatre is competing with Bushey Cemetery in Hertfordshire, Tate St Ives art gallery in Cornwall, student housing, an office building and a nursery school.

Judges said the college theatre, designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects, was a “floating auditorium crafted from classic Oxford stone and natural oak to blend exquisitely into the established landscape of Worcester College”.

RIBA president Ben Derbyshire said half of the six buildings on the shortlist were commissioned by UK universities.

He added: “Each of the projects on this year’s shortlist shows the power and payback of investing in quality architecture.

“This shortlist illustrates why UK architects and architecture are held in such high regard around the world.”

The winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize will be announced on Wednesday, October 10.

The theatre, built by Beard for the college, has also been shortlisted for a British Construction Industry Award for Social Infrastructure Project of the Year. The winner will be announced in October.

Beard worked with London-based Niall McLaughlin Architects on the design and build of the new theatre and conference centre.

The BCIA award recognises excellence in completed projects – from concept, procurement and design and build quality, to delivery on time and budget, functionality and user satisfaction. Due consideration must also be shown to key elements including excellence in innovation, safety, community engagement, sustainability, and, crucially, fitness for purpose and end user benefit.

Dean Averies, director of Beard Oxford, said: “We are thrilled that the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre has been shortlisted for this prestigious industry award which recognises construction projects that deliver exceptional social impact.

“It’s been a fantastic project to build and it’s great to see this superb new facility fulfilling its social and community purpose.”

Tate St Ives is the most well-known new building on the list.

It recently won Art Fund Museum Of The Year, winning a £100,000 prize after opening a new £20m gallery ‘sunk into the cliff’, in a four-year project.