The six finalists vying for the chance to design an expansion of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City have been selected ahead of next springs winner announcement.The first stage of the competition, which we announced last month, attracted 182 entries from 30 different countries on six continents. The museums selection committee expanded the shortlist from five to six teams in recognition of their designs excellence. The finalists will next visit the museum for a detailed introduction before they begin working on concept designs over the next three months.The six lead firms for the expansion are:Kengo Kuma & Associates (Tokyo)Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Genoa)Selldorf Architects (New York)Studio Gang (Chicago)Weiss/Manfredi Architecture (New York) WHY Architecture (Los Angeles)