The iconic Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) building at Education City has been nominated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for its inaugural International Prize.
The award is open to qualified architects located anywhere in the world, and QFIS, a college of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), is one of 30 projects currently under consideration and the only Gulf representative.
Opened in March 2015, the 35,270sq m university is designed to serve the higher education needs of Qatar and other Islamic societies.   
Designed by Mangera Yvars Architects Ltd, it houses both an academic facility and a mosque which, with a capacity of 1,800 people, is one of the largest in Qatar.
“We are absolutely delighted and incredibly honoured to have been selected as a candidate for RIBA’s first ever International Prize,” said Jassim Telefat, executive director, Capital Projects, QF. “This nomination illustrates our ongoing commitment to excellence in innovation, and highlights our dedication to continuous growth and development in order to serve the people of Qatar.” 
Entries for the RIBA awards were submitted from 50 countries, and projects from more than 20 countries are represented in the diverse shortlist.
The award will be officially announced in December 2016, and presented to the architects of the building that is regarded as the most significant and inspirational, and which exemplifies design excellence, architectural ambition and delivers meaningful social impact.
Since its opening, QFIS has been recognised by a number of international entities.
In 2015 it was awarded the best building in the category of Religion at the World Architecture Festival and, in the same year, it was the winner of the MEED Quality Project of the Year.