Architecture  ·  Featured Story

World’s 85 best buildings shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2023

October 20, 2023
Words by Elisa Barkan
Dezeen has announced the architecture shortlist for this year’s Dezeen Awards, which includes buildings by Zaha Hadid Architects, Olson Kundig and Open Architecture.
The 85 shortlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in 16 different architecture project categories, were designed by studios located in 28 different countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Greece, Malaysia, Hungary and Tanzania.
The top three represented studio countries are UK with 20 shortlisted entries, followed by Mexico with eight and Australia with seven.
The top project city locations are London, with eight shortlisted entries, followed by Amsterdam with three and Tehran, Shenzhen, Sheffield, Mexico City and Melbourne tied in third with two each.
Shortlisted projects include a six-storey school featuring cork walls and indoor gardens on the outskirts of Madrid and a rotating footbridge operated by a series of hand cranks in London.
The shortlist includes several buildings made from rammed earth including a single-storey farmhouse with crisscrossing staircases in Rajasthan and a narrow nursery set on the grounds of a 19th-century palace in Paris.
A collaboration between Heatherwick Studio and BIG, which saw firms create a 1.1-million-square-foot campus in California for search engine company Google, was another shortlisted project.
Dezeen Awards 2023 shortlists revealed this week
The shortlisted projects were scored by our jury which includes architects Omar Gandhi, Lara Lesmes, Thom Mayne and Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei.
Dezeen Awards 2023, in partnership with Bentley Motors, will reveal all shortlisted projects this week. The interiors shortlist will be published tomorrow, followed by the design shortlist on Wednesday and the sustainability on Thursday.
This year’s new nomination-based Designers of the Year and Bentley Lighthouse Award shortlists will be announced this Friday and next Monday respectively.
Above: Lumi Shala by Ibuku Studio was one of the shortlisted projects. Photo by Alchemy Yoga Center. Top: Google Bay View by Heatherwick Studio and BIG was also shortlisted. Photo by Iwan Baan
All shortlisted architecture projects are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards website, where you can find an image and more information about the project. All shortlisted projects will also feature in their own dedicated Dezeen post.
The winner of each project category will be announced at our party in November. All 15 winners will then go on to compete for the title of architecture project of the year. This category is sponsored by Material Bank.
Read on for the full architecture shortlist:
Ederlezi by Práctica Arquitectura. Photo by Apertura Arquitectónica

House (urban)

› Spruce House and Studio, London, UK, by Ao-ft
› Debris Block House, Bangalore, India, by CollectiveProject
› Labri, Hue, Vietnam, by Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates
› Ederlezi, San Pedro Garza García, Monterrey, Mexico, by Práctica Arquitectura
› Townhouse Neubaugasse, Vienna, Austria, by PSLA Architekten
› 19 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills, Australia, by SJB

Browse all projects on the urban house shortlist page ›

Studio House by William Samuels Architects. Photo by Simon Devitt

House (rural)

› Mud House, Alwar, India, by Sketch Design Studio
› The Inside Home, Tehran, Iran, by Olgoo
› Summer House, Tihany, Hungary, by RAPA Architects
› Traditional House of the Future, Guizhou Province, China, by The University of Hong Kong, Lidia Ratoi and John Lin
› Studio House, Nelson, New Zealand, by William Samuels Architects
Browse all projects on the rural house shortlist page ›
Ferrars & York by HIP V. HYPE. Photo by Tess Kelly

Housing project

› Nightingale Village, Brunswick, Australia, by Architecture Architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects and Hayball and Kennedy Nolan
› Small Houses, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by Bloom Architecture
› Ferrars & York, Melbourne, Australia, by Hip V Hype
› Park Hill Phase 2, Sheffield, UK, by Mikhail Riches
› Domus Houthaven, ​​Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
› The Arches, London, UK, by The DHaus Company
This category is sponsored by Gaggenau.
Browse all projects on the housing project shortlist page ›
Helvetia by Austin Maynard Architects. Photo by Derek Swalwell

House renovation

› El Priorato, Trespaderne, Spain, by Atienza Maure Arquitectos
› Helvetia, Melbourne, Australia, by Austin Maynard Architects
› Villa VD, Waasmunster, Belgium, by Britsom Philips Architects
› Introverse, Subang Jaya, Malaysia, by Core Design Workshop
› La Clara, Barcelona, Spain, by CRÜ Studio
Browse all projects on the house renovation shortlist page ›
Dokubo+El Amigo by Jo Nagasaka and Schemata Architects. Photo by Kenta Hasegawa

House extension

› Sunday, Melbourne, Australia, by Architecture Architecture
› BEEV, Beerse, Belgium, by ISM Architecten
› Dokubo + El Amigo, Setouchi, Japan, by Jo Nagasaka and Schemata Architects
› Maxon Studio, Carnation, USA, by Olson Kundig
› Garden Tower House, Melbourne, Australia, by Studio Bright
Browse all projects on the house extension shortlist page ›
Serpentine Bookhouse by Atelier XI. Photo by Zhang Chao

Civic project

› Serpentine Bookhouse, Shenzhen, China, by Atelier XI
› The Tree House, London, UK, by Bell Phillips
› Community Development Center, Tabasco, Mexico, by Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica (CCA) / Bernardo Quinzaños
› New Temple Complex, Hampshire, UK, by James Gorst Architects
› Lea Bridge Library extension, London, UK, by Studio Weave
Browse all projects on the civic project shortlist page ›
32° East Arts Centre by New Makers Bureau. Photo by Tim Latim

Cultural project

› Bundanon Art Museum, Illaroo, Australia, by Kerstin Thompson Architects
› Liknon, Samos, Greece, by K-Studio
› Yongchun Vinegar Sightseeing Factory, Quanzhou, China, by Lel Design Studio
› IF.BE (Ice Factory Ballard Estate), Mumbai, India, by Malik Architecture
› Shanfeng Academy, Suzhou, China, by Open Architecture
› 32° East Arts Centre, Kampala, Uganda, by New Makers Bureau
Browse all projects on the cultural project shortlist page ›
Urban Farming Office by VTN Architects. Photo by Hiroyuki Oki

Workplace project

› Furnish Studio, Rayong, Thailand, by 11.29 Studio
› Campus Betterware Guadalajara, El Arenal, Mexico, by Estudio MMX + Luis Campos
› Google Bay View, California, USA, by Heatherwick Studio and BIG
› Urban Farming Office, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, by VTN Architects
› Bradbury Works, London, UK, by YN Studio
› Beeah Headquarters, Sharjah, UAE, by Zaha Hadid Architects
This category is sponsored by Lualdi.
Browse all projects on the workplace project shortlist page ›
Lanserhof Sylt by Ingenhoven Associates. Photo by Ingenhoven Associates/HGEsch

Health and wellbeing project

› Maggie’s Southampton, Southampton, UK, by AL_A
› Lumi Shala, Gianyar, Bali, by Ibuku Studio
› Lanserhof Sylt, List, Germany, by Ingenhoven Associates
› Alzheimer’s Village, Dax, France, by NORD Architects and Champagnat & Gregoire Architects
› Gilbert Raby Therapeutic Workshops, Paris, France, by Tolila Gilliland
› Dentistry Coexisting with Nature, Aichi, Japan, by TSC Architects
Browse all projects on the health and wellbeing project shortlist page ›
Rural School For Cement Factory Workers Children by CollectiveProject. Photo by Benjamin Hosking

Education project

› Simba Vision Montessori School, Engare Nanyuki, Tanzania, by Architectural Pioneering Consultants
› Nursery in Alma Palace, Paris, France, by Atelier Régis Roudil Architectes
› Rural School For Cement Factory Workers Children, Talaricheruvu, India, by CollectiveProject
› The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl’s School, Jaisalmer, India, by Diana Kellogg Architects
› Reggio School, Madrid, Spain, by Office for Political Innovation
› Riverside Plant Research 1 at the University of California, Riverside Plant Research 1, USA, by Perkins&Will
Browse all projects on the education project shortlist page ›
Clifford’s Tower by Hugh Broughton Architects. Photo by Dirk Lindner

Heritage project

› Clifford’s Tower, York, UK, by Hugh Broughton Architects
› Park Hill Phase 2, Sheffield, UK, by Mikhail Riches
› Beato Convent Events Centre, Lisbon, Portugal, by Risco
› Centro Gastronómico, Oaxaca, Mexico, by RootStudio
› Bokšto Skveras, Vilnius, Lithuania, by Studio Seilern Architects with Archinova
› Kingway Brewery Renovation, Shenzhen, China, by Urbanus Architecture & Design
Browse all projects on the heritage project shortlist page ›
Wraxall Yard by Clementine Blakemore Architects. Photo by Lorenzo Zandri

Hospitality project

› Wraxall Yard, Dorset, UK, by Clementine Blakemore Architects
› Boobun Pocket Café, Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, by CUP Scale Studio
› Dapi Mountain Restaurant, Hebi City, China, by Galaxy Arch
› Casa TO, Mexico City, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
› Lost Lindenberg, Jembrana, Indonesia, by Lost Lindenberg
› PituRooms, Salatiga, Indonesia, by Sahabat Selojene
Browse all projects on the hospitality project shortlist page ›
Cody Dock Rolling Bridge by Thomas Randall-Page. Photo by Jim Stephenson

Infrastructure and transport project

› Ecoparque Bacalar, Bacalar, Mexico, by C733
› Elizabeth Line, London, UK, by Grimshaw
› Jahad Metro Plaza, Tehran, Iran, by Ka Architecture Studio
› The Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie, Houston, USA, by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
› Cody Dock Rolling Bridge, London, UK, by Thomas Randall-Page
› IJboulevard, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by VenhoevenCS Architecture+Urbanism
Browse all projects on the infrastructure and transport project shortlist page ›
Veneti-An Tea House by Mitsubishi Jisho Design. Photo by Yuta Sawamura

Small project

› AirBubble Playground, Warsaw, Poland, by EcoLogicStudio
› The False Banana Pavilion, Ardingly, UK, by FleaFollyArchitects
› Veneti-An Tea House, Venice, Italy, by Mitsubishi Jisho Design
› Suetomi AoQ Cafe Stand, Kyoto, Japan, by Ryohei Tanaka and G Architects Studio
› Kithara Music Public Kiosk, Mexico City, Mexico, by TO
Browse all projects on the small project shortlist page ›
Stormwater pond at Exercisfältet by White Arkitekter. Photo by Måns Berg

Mixed-use project

› Pôle Laherrère, Pau, France, by CoBe Architecture et Paysage
› Valley, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by MVRDV
› The Hoxton Mule, London, UK, by Sam Jacob Studio
› Mayfield Park, Manchester, UK, by Studio Egret West
› Héroes de Tecamac Rambla, Mexico, by Taller Capital
› Stormwater Pond at Exercisfältet, Uppsala, Sweden, by White Arkitekter
Browse all projects on the mixed-use project shortlist page ›
Dezeen Awards 2023
Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent.
This article is originally available at www.dezeen.com