The shortlist for The Structural Awards 2014 has been released by the Institution of Structural Engineers.

"We hold the Structural Awards each year to recognise outstanding work by structural engineers, and to raise awareness about the vital global role they play creating innovative design solutions," said Martin Powell, chief executive of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

Among the shortlisted structures are several bridges, including one modeled on a Maori fish hook, Richard Wilson's abstract, floating Slipstream sculpture in Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 and the new Apple Store in Istanbul.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that an Apple Store makes an appearance on the list. The company's two big London stores on Regent Street and in Covent Garden both make gorgeous use of the space inside the period buildings they occupy. Newer stores, including the one on 5th Avenue in New York City -- with its famous glass cube sitting above ground, leading customers into the well-lit retail space -- are often masterclasses in stylish engineering. Its latest award-nominated store is a super-minimalist structure known as the Glass Lantern, made up of a huge glass cuboid with a white roof, surrounded by an infinity-effect water feature that lets light into the underground store.

Some of our favorites among the shortlisted projects come from the entertainment category, including the renovated Serpentine Gallery in London's Hyde Park. The project involved repurposing the existing grade II listed Magazine building and building in a fabric roof, while complying fully with UK energy standards -- meaning wins for both style and structure. The new spiral staircase at Somerset House with its distinctive steel core also caught our eye.

Ultimately, though, it is not us the structures need to impress. A panel of judges will announce the winners of the awards at an event on 14 November.

You can see a gallery depicting all of the honorees over at Wired UK.