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World Architecture Festival 2023

July 12, 2023

SHORTLIST REVEALS MOST INSPIRING PROJECTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Clockwise: Bamboo Dome for G20 Bali Summit by Biroe; Oman Across Ages Museum by COX Architecture; Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects; Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd
The most inspiring architectural projects from around the world are revealed today as the shortlist for the 2023 World Architecture Festival (WAF) is announced. This is ahead of the live event which this year will take place in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 29 November – 1 December.
WAF represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges at the international festival.
Today’s shortlist celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most inspiring future architectural concepts, across 33 categories, ranging from residential, to cultural, to creative re-use. Later this week (July 13) the Inside World Festival of Interiors shortlist will be announced; WAF’s sister awards programme celebrating the finest examples of global interior design, across eleven categories. The shortlist have been selected from over 800 entries, and comprise comprise 495 projects from 333 unique practices.
MPavilion 2022 by all(zone) © John Gollings

View a selection of project image highlights from the 2023 WAF shortlist here.

This year’s finalists range from major world architects including Foster + Partners, UNStudio, Grimshaw Architects, MAD Architects, WilkinsonEyre, Safdie Architects and Nikken Sekkei, while many smaller practices will also be on stage, live pitching against the big names.
The full shortlist for this year’s completed buildings, future and landscape project awards can be viewed here.

The international judging panel for this year’s awards consists of more than 140 industry experts, representing 43 countries, and will include Lily Jencks, Nigel Coates, Rafiq Azam, Albert Williamson-Taylor, Tracy Meller, Jason Bruges, Annette Fisher, Roland Schnizer and Issa Diabaté.

This year’s finalists span the globe, with the top ten shortlisted countries including China, Australia, United Kingdom, India, United States, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. 
Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella
On the final day of the festival, category winners from across all 44 category prizes will go head-to-head for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year.  A host of Special Prizes, including WAFX, which celebrates imaginative cutting-edge designs addressing major world issues, will also be awarded to projects from the main shortlist. 

WAF returns to Singapore for its 16th edition after the global community of architects and designers last met at Marina Bay Sands in 2015. This follows previous editions of the festival in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event will include a live events programme and keynote talks from an international panel of speakers. 

Jahad Metro Plaza by Khavarian Studio
WAF programme director Paul Finch comments: “We are delighted with both the quantity and quality of this year’s entries. They are a reminder in a world experiencing numerous crises that architects continue to address both everyday and unusual challenges with skill and imagination. We look forward to seeing the shortlisted architects in Singapore.”
WAF and its co-located event, Inside World Festival of Interiors, will welcome the world’s leading architects and designers for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events, showcasing leading international practices, the best new projects, and most pressing live debates. 

Press can apply for an Official Press Pass to attend the World Architecture Festival here.

For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the WAF Awards please visit: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #WAF23 #INSIDE23


SM Prime Highlights Visionary project showcased at the World Architecture Festival 2024

SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime), a leading integrated property developer in Southeast Asia, proudly showcased its innovative vision for sustainable and inclusive urban development at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2024 in Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center in Singapore.

As the first ever developer from Southeast Asia to take part on the WAF stage, SM Prime underscored its commitment towards developing a sustainable and world-class urban development in the Philippines by ushering a new era of smart cities that prioritize urban connectivity and environmental responsibility through innovative design and community-centric spaces.

Central Park Design Competition: A Global Showcase

A standout feature of SM Prime’s participation was its rollout of the Central Park Design Competition, launched in partnership with Buildner and the WAF. Launched in June, this conceptual competition sought visionary proposals from top global architectural and design firms to reimagine urban green spaces situated in the iconic Manila Bay – positioned as a centerpiece for future growth and envisioned as both an urban sanctuary and a commercial hub for international and local visitors. To date, this is one of SM Prime’s most ambitious development projects and a landmark undertaking in Philippine real estate.

The competition culminated with the presentation of five shortlisted entries, each highlighting forward-thinking approaches to urban living, with the winning concept entry officially announced on the first day of the WAF.

Re-imagining Manila Bay: SM Prime presented the concept proposals from shortlisted landscape architecture firms who participated in its Central Park Design Competition. SM Prime Lead Executive for Design, Innovation, and Strategy Jessica Sy shared the integrated property developer’s vision for the competition at the WAF.

“This competition reflects SM Prime’s mission to create spaces where communities can thrive while embracing sustainability and innovation,” said Jessica Sy, Lead Executive for Design, Innovation, and Strategy at SM Prime Holdings Inc., during her keynote address.

Interactive Booth Experience: A Glimpse into Manila’s Smart City

SM Prime Chairman of the Board Henry Sy, Jr. led SM Prime’s participation at the WAF, a first for any private sector developer in the prestigious architecture forum.

The SM Prime interactive exhibit, featuring The Manila of Tomorrow, was a main fixture at the WAF 2024

At the WAF, SM Prime offered visitors a firsthand look at its Smart City initiatives through an interactive scale model and engaging visual displays. Attendees explored the defining features of the project’s two primary islands:

• Bay Living – Focused on green and open spaces, sustainable waterfront living, and healthcentered design.
• Destination Hub – Showcasing retail and entertainment hubs, international business districts, and cultural attractions.

WAF participants try out SM Prime’s interactive scale model display showcasing the project’s features and master plan

Additionally, visitors were invited to experience a dedicated exhibition space showcasing the competition’s entry videos and design boards of the five shortlisted entries from BAU (Brearley Architects and Urbanists), Sasaki, SWA Group, Snohetta and Turenscape.

Strengthening SM Prime’s Global Presence

SM Prime made history as the first developer from Southeast Asia to showcase its initiatives at the WAF, marking a milestone in the company’s journey toward global recognition. This participation signals SM’s dedication to fostering architectural excellence in all its developments.

A Vision for the Future

SM Prime’s presence at WAF 2024 reflects its broader focus on championing sustainable urban design and resilient urban spaces. Through bold new initiatives like the Central Park Design Competition, and a commitment to future-forward strategies, the company continues to position itself as a trailblazer in smart city development across the region.

For more information about SM Prime Holdings Inc. and its projects, please visit www.smprime.com

WAF 2024 Special Prizes Shortlist Announced: Recognising Exceptional Architectural Merit

Jade Apartment by Matrix Design © Shi Xiang Wan He

World Architecture Festival (WAF) has announced the first of the 2024 Special Prize shortlist. Selected from across the greater WAF Awards shortlist, the projects shine a light on exceptional architectural merit across six categories: Best use of Colour, The Sustainability Prize supported by ROCKWOOL, Small Project of the Year, Best use of Stone supported by Turkish Stones, Best use of Natural Light supported by VELUX and the GROHE Water Prize, awarding projects pushing the boundaries of design within the built environment and water.

The announcement comes ahead of the live WAF festival which takes place this year in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 6-8 November, and follows the announcement of the WAF shortlist earlier this month (8 July), which celebrates the world’s best new completed buildings, interiors, landscapes and future architecture concepts.

Best use of Colour
Clockwise starting: Holocene House by CplusC Architectural Workshop © Felix Mooneram, Renata Dominik, Michael Lassman; John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History by Studio Imagine Simply Architecture (SI.SA) © Ademola Olaniran & Jide Atobatele; Te Taumata o Kupe by TOA Architects © David Straight

The Best use of Colour Prize finalists range from an urban regeneration project on Lagos Island, Nigeria, finished in a dyed render to evoke the native architecture and landscape, to a Women & Children’s Centre set in a vibrant and colourful skyscraper in Shenzen, China, by MDRV. The shortlisted projects are:

  • Te Taumata o Kupe by TOA Architects, in Aotearoa/New Zealand
  • John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History by Studio Imagine Simply Architecture (SI.SA), in Nigeria
  • Shenzhen Women & Children’s Center by MVRDV, in China
  • The Brewhouse and Trident Park by ritchie*studio, in Malta
  • Holocene House by CplusC Architectural Workshop, in Australia
  • Merlot 3 by HDR, in Australia
  • Waste Management Building, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital by Architects 49, in Thailand
  • Preston Level Crossing Removal Project by Wood Marsh Architecture, in Australia
The Sustainability Prize 
Supported by ROCKWOOL
Left to right: The Black and White Building by Waugh Thistleton Architects © Jake Curtis; University of Auckland B201 Building by Jasmax © Jasmax; Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca 780 by HEMAA © César Béjar

Finalists for the Sustainability Prize range from the Green School in South Africa, which embodies locally sourced materials and traditional building techniques including reed ceilings and rammed earth walls, through to a cutting-edge life sciences hub in Sweden by 3XN, which features timber throughout the interior and exterior architecture. The shortlisted projects are: 

  • Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca 780 by HEMAA, in Mexico
  • The Black and White Building by Waugh Thistleton Architects, in UK
  • White Renovation by Olgoo, in Iran
  • 150 Holborn by Perkins&Will, in UK
  • Forskaren by 3XN in Sweden
  • KITO Yamanashi Head Office by Takenaka Corporation, in Japan
  • University of Auckland B201 Building by Jasmax, in New Zealand
  • The GEAR by KAJIMA DESIGN (Lead Architect) + Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte. Ltd. (Project Architect), in Singapore
  • Green School South Africa by GASS Architecture Studios, in South Africa
Small Project of the Year
Clockwise: Villagers’ Home in Wanghu Village by The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD) © Zhao Qiang; Earth to Earth by Dabbagh Architects © Gerry O’leary; Concrete Pavilion-pumping station by LIN architecture © chen zhitong

The Small Project of the Year Prize shortlist features a Star Observatory in the mountains in Cyprus, a pet crematorium in Singapore, a geometric pavilion in Australia by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, and a remodelled 100-year-old Grade II* listed building by Stanton Williams in the UK. The shortlisted projects are:

  • Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre by Sam Crawford Architects, in Australia
  • Sanctuary Pet Crematorium by Formwerkz Architects, in Singapore
  • MPavilion10 by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, in Australia
  • Fushi by Tezuka Architects, in Japan
  • National Star Observatory by Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects, in Cyprus
  • Villagers’ Home in Wanghu Village by The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD), in China
  • Rhodes House Transformation by Stanton Williams, in UK
  • Concrete Pavilion-pumping station by LIN architecture, in China
  • Earth to Earth by Dabbagh Architects, in United Arab Emirates
Best use of Stone
Supported by Turkish Stones
Left: Village House by Studio MK27 © Fernando Guerra; Right: twentyfour by 3DM Architecture © Matthew Farrugia

The Best Use of Stone shortlist includes a futuristic concept for a car park in China, the restoration and conversion of a mid-17th century Ottoman fortress into a museum, and a complex of three houses of worship placed within a fourth secular space for inter-religious dialogue and exchange in Abu Dhabi. The shortlisted projects are:

  • Future Car Park by Daniel Statham Studio, in China
  • Sunita Shekhawat Flagship Store and Gallery by Studio Lotus, in India
  • Seddülbahir Fortress by KOOP Architects / AOMTD (Arzu Ozsavasci Architecture), in Turkey
  • Abrahamic Family House by Adjaye Associates, in United Arab Emirates
  • Twentyfour by 3DM Architecture, in Malta
  • Jade Apartment by Matrix Design, in China
  • SCORPIOS BODRUM by GEOMIM, in Turkey
  • OH HO Residence by Play Architecture, in India
  • Village House by Studio MK27, in Brazil

The finalists for the Best use of Natural Light supported by VELUX are to be announced in August and the shortlist and winner of the GROHE Water Prize will be announced in September.

Paul Finch, Director of the World Architecture Festival, comments:
“Our special prizes programme is an important element of the WAF Awards. Cutting across all categories, they give entrants an additional chance to win an award for excellent work. We look forward to seeing the presentations of these creative shortlisted projects at the live festival!”

View all the WAF Special Prizes shortlisted projects here.

WAF represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme. The finalists for the Special Prizes will go on to compete live at WAF Singapore and the overall winner of each will be announced live during the festival.

WAF returns to Singapore this year for its 17th edition. This follows previous editions of the festival in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event will include a live events programme and keynote talks and insightful seminars from an international panel of speakers around the theme of ‘Tomorrow’.

For more details on the 2024 World Architecture Festival and the WAF Awards please visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com / @worldarchfest #WAF24 #INSIDE24

World Architecture Festival 2024 – Extended Entry Deadline!

 

 

World Architecture Festival 2023 – Day Two Winners of International Architectural Awards Announced 

The second round of award winners of the 2023 World Architecture Festival have been announced, following Day Two of live presentations at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, in which hundreds of shortlisted projects were presented by practices from around the world. Amongst today’s category award winners of the world’s largest international live-judged architectural event there were six projects from Australia and four projects each from Iran and the United Kingdom.

Category Award Winners: COMPLETED BUILDINGS

Clockwise from Top Left: Victorian Heart Hospital by Conrad Gargett (now merged with Architectus) + Wardle © Peter Bennetts; Vast Gallery & Artist Residency by Persian Garden Studio © DEED STUDIO; Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects © Duccio Malagamba
Health: Victorian Heart Hospital by Conrad Gargett (now merged with Architectus) + Wardle in Australia
  • Tergooi MC by Wiegerinck in the Netherlands was also highly commended in the Health category
Religion: Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects in Italy
  • New Temple Complex by James Gorst Architects in the United Kingdom was also highly commended in the Religion category
Higher Education & Research: Boola Katitjin by Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley, Officer Woods, The Fulcrum Agency and Aspect Studios in Australia
  • John A. Paulson Center by Davis Brody Bond, KieranTimberlake in the United States was also highly commended in the Higher Education & Research category
Hotel & Leisure, sponsored by Grohe: Lanserhof Sylt by ingenhoven associates GmbH in Germany
  • Kilyawan Farm Resort by Dominic Galicia Architects in the Philippines and Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay by Misho + Associates in Australia were also highly commended in the Hotel & Leisure category
Mixed-Use: Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre in United Kingdom
  • Regeneration Project of Shougang Oxygen Factory Southern Area by CCTN Design in China was also highly commended in the Mixed-Use category
Retrofit: Vast Gallery & Artist Residency by Persian Garden Studio in Iran
  • Ombú by Foster + Partners in Spain was also highly commended in the Retrofit category
Shopping: Shanghai Suhe MixC World by Kokaistudios in China
  • Namak Abroud Plaza by FMZD + MARZ in Iran and LIANGZHU BIRLAND by QINGMO Architects in China were also highly commended in the Shopping category
Transport: Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw in the United Kingdom
The judges of the Completed Buildings categories reflected on the considered and beautiful articulation of this year’s projects. Overall, they were impressed with the timeless quality, spatial composition and technical resolutions.
Judges felt that many of the winning projects were city-changing with thoughtful responses to historical elements including preservation of found architecture, retrofitting and change of use – all making a significant contribution to their locales.

Category Award Winners: FUTURE PROJECTS

Clockwise from Top Left: DIGGING FOR LIGHT (Ganats villa) by Kalbod Studio; Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney © Warren and Mahoney; Osaka Pavilion by Studio MK27 © BLACKHAUS STUDIO; The Probiotic Tower by Design and more international © Karim Mousa – Founder and art director of Mozses
Commercial Mixed-Use: Belgrove House by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in the United Kingdom
  • Albert Bridge House by Studio Egret West in the United Kingdom and Lighthouse at Darling Park by Henning Larsen, Architectus in Australia were also highly commended in the Commercial Mixed-Use category
Culture: Osaka Pavilion by StudioMK27 in Japan
  • Glenbow Revitalization by DIALOG in Canada and Al Ain Museum by Dabbagh Architects in United Arab Emirates were also highly commended in the Culture category
Education: Resource Recovery Learning Centre by TERROIR in Australia
  • The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Grafton Architects with modus studio in United States was also highly commended in the Education category
Experimental: The Probiotic Tower, Cairo by Design and More International in Egypt
  • HydroSKIN: Façade for Urban Rainwater Retention and Evaporative Cooling by University of Stuttgart in Germany was also highly commended in the Experimental category
Health: Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney in Australia
House: DIGGING FOR LIGHT (Ganats villa) by Kalbod Studio in Iran
Nefaar by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran was also highly commended in the House category
Residential: Kuzeh Valley by FMZD in Iran
Discussing the Future Projects, judges praised the experimental and holistic approach to tomorrow’s environment. This year’s category winners resonated with the jury for their rethinking of architectural approaches, including design and material, to give new meaning to architecture in the modern world. Projects addressed either urgent sustainability challenges, becoming new ‘pedagogical instruments’ and sensitively embedding into the fabric of existing communities.

Category Award Winners: Inside – for best Interior

Left: V&A Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects © Thomas Adank Right: Sage by Office AIO © Wen Studio
Bars & Restaurants: Sage by Office AIO in China
Education: Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects in the United States
Public Buildings: V&A Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects in United Kingdom
Residential (Housing, more than one dwelling), sponsored by Miele: Residence with art museum & depot U40 by TRIMONIS architects in Lithuania
Residential (Single Dwelling): 19 Waterloo Street by SJB in Australia
Retail: Bijou Shop in Tehran Grand Bazaar by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran
  • Presented by Riyadh by External Reference Architects in Saudi Arabia was also highly commended in the Retail category
Temporary/Meanwhile Use: Eucalyptusdom by SJB in collaboration with Richard Leplastrier AO and Vania Contreras in Australia
The judges were impressed by the quality of the presentations across the Inside category winners and highlighted the exemplar qualities of projects for creating ‘magic experiences’ and ‘using local material in a poetic way’. Judges felt that each winning studio had immaculate responses that fulfilled the client’s brief while ensuring consideration of the wider impact on society and the environment.
Tomorrow, on the final day of the festival, prize winners across all 44 categories winners announced so far will compete for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, World Interior of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Landscape of the Year.
All the overall winners will be announced at a grand finale Gala Dinner at Marina Bay Sands along with a host of Special Prizes, including the International Building Beauty Prize, on December 1st.
For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the Inside Festival of Interiors please visit  www.worldarchitecturefestival.com and www.insidefestival.com
@worldarchfest #INSIDE23 #WAF23

World Building of the Year and Interior of the Year revealed at 2023 World Architecture Festival

Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group in China has been declared the World Building of the Year at the 2023 World Architecture Festival (WAF).

Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group
The ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, World Interior of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Landscape of the Year were announced today as hundreds of delegates from across the world convened at a grand finale Gala Dinner at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. A host of Special Prizes, including the International Building Beauty Prize, Best Use of Colour Prize and Small Project of the Year were also announced at the closing event, to celebrate the sixteenth edition of the festival. The announcement follows the final day of WAF, in which prize winners across all 44 categories competed for the winning title.

WINNERS

World Building of the Year

Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group
World Building of the Year supported by GROHE was awarded to Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group China. The project was initially shortlisted in the Completed Building School category.
Located in Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, Huizhen is a bold exploration of ‘efficiency-first’ campus design where time can be ‘wasted’ seriously. The boarding school campus is a ‘floating forest’ with classrooms hung in each corner of the forest and joined by meandering paths. Scattered tree houses provide students with temporary escapes from the burden of school. A ramp leads up to a gentle sloping roof, which doubles as an open-air lecture hall and a rooftop park with sporting facilities, usable by the public at the weekend – creating a new typology of architectural promenade.
Di Ma, Director at Approach Design Studio /Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group China commented: “We always try to explore the boundaries of architecture while making something that’s fun. Our focus was not just about designing a school, or working with new forms, spaces, materials and facades, but about designing new school life and bringing the power of nature into the building. The building gives students a space to relax and relieve their stresses between their lessons.”
Paul Finch, Programme Director of the World Architecture Festival commented: “We loved this building as it is unexpected, and delightful. The architects have managed to create a school which is very different to the usual model where students are boxed in and put under teaching and architectural pressure. By contrast, this design encourages, walking, fresh air and the possibility of reflection away from academic intensity. As the architects note, you are at your most relaxed when you are wasting time, but not wasting; instead enjoying walking to classrooms through a ‘floating forest’ with plug-in buildings and amenities, all with views of nature. Simple materials are deployed for a combination of the innovative and the everyday. There are elements in this project that could be used for schools anywhere.”
The winner was selected by a super jury of luminaries of the global architecture industry – comprising Sir Peter Cook, Cook Belacevic Haffner; Vicente Guallart, Guallart Architects; Richard Hassell, WOHA and Albert Williamson-Taylor, AKT II.

World Interior of the Year

19 Waterloo Street by SJB in Australia © Anson Smart
Wedged onto a narrow strip adjacent to the road, judges described this small multi-storey house as “like a wardrobe for the architect himself to live in”.
From the street the facade is punched with a random set of openings, but once inside, these reveal a highly tuned stack of rooms. Judges felt that “these generated a satisfying alignment and play of light”. There are unique furniture pieces and a work of art that was commissioned as a catalyst for the project. Craft and detail are everywhere, partly as a result of using materials salvaged from other projects. Judges described this winning interior project as “not only a building or an interior, but a pocket-sized tour de force”.
The winner was selected by a super jury of global design experts – comprising Nigel Coates, Nigel Coates Studio; Mark Dytham, Klein Dytham Architects; Ingrid van der Heijden, Civic architects; Friedrich Ludewig, ACME and Anna Xu, Dyson.

Future Project of the Year

Future Project of the Year supported by ABB went to The Probiotic Tower by Design and More International in Egypt. The project was initially selected from the Experimental category.
The Probiotic Tower by Design and More International © Karim Mousa, Founder and art director of Mozses
The Probiotic Tower’s central proposition is to repurpose obsolete water towers to positively address climate change as an adaptive system for cities, particularly in the developing world. At the core of the Probiotic Tower is a large algae bioreactor tank that absorbs CO2 from local sources. The building is expanded by establishing a bamboo plantation on-site and creating a amboo Cross Laminated Timber Production facility that grows modular components to build a supportive scaffold around the tower. Other features to promote the absorption of CO2 include facade algae panels, reed beds for treating wastewater and photovoltaic panels.
The winner was selected by a super jury of global architecture practitioners and academics – comprising Diogo Burnay, Dalhousie University; Issa Diabate, Koffi & Diabaté; Richard Maimon, KieranTimberlake and Tracy Meller, RSHP.

Landscape of the Year

Landscape of the Year went to Benjakitti Forest Park: Transforming a Brownfield into an Urban Ecological Sanctuary by TURENSCAPE, Arsomsilp Community and Environmental Architect in Thailand.
Benjakitti Forest Park: Transforming a Brownfield into an Urban Ecological Sanctuary by TURENSCAPE, Arsomsilp Community and Environmental Architect in Thailand © Turenscape & Arsom Silp Community
The winning Landscape project transforms a former tobacco factory into a resilient living ecosystem, which is now the largest public recreational space in downtown Bangkok. The project reduces the destructive force of stormwater, filters contaminated water, and provides much-needed wildlife habitat in a region experiencing monsoon climates with an average yearly precipitation of about 1500mm.
The winner was selected by a super jury of global landscape specialists and academics – Lily Jencks, LilyJencksStudio; Henry Steed, ICN Design International; Professor Rafiq Azam, SHATOTTO architecture for green living and Zhengxu Zhou, Tsinghua University.
Rifle Range Nature Park by Henning Larsen in Singapore, Boca de la Mina Promenade in Reus by Batlleiroig Arquitectura in Spain and Mayfield Park by Studio Egret West in the United Kingdom were also highly commended in the Landscape category.

Special Prizes

LEFT: Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 © Fernando Guerra
RIGHT: Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects © W Workspace
The Visualisation Prize, supported by Lumion: The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design in United States
  • Hillcrest Rose Bay, Sydney by Woods Bagot in Australia was highly commended.
The Futureglass Prize, supported by Aestech: 55 Pitt Street by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects in Australia
  • Fisher and Paykel Global Headquarters by RTA Studio in New Zealand was also highly commended in the Futureglass Prize
Best use of Natural Light, supported by VELUX: See Sea Park by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates in Japan.
International Building Beauty Prize, supported by Royal Fine Art Commission Trust and Ballymore: Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects in Thailand
  • CAPITASPRING by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group in Singapore was also highly commended in the International Building Beauty Prize
The GROHE Water Prize: Micro Colony by UArchitects / Misak Terzibasiyan in Bangladesh
Best Use of Colour: Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 in the Maldives
Small Project of the Year: Karuizawa Commongrounds Bookstore by Klein Dytham architecture in Japan

WAFX

Rethinking Oil Rigs – Offshore Data Centres by Arup © Arup
THE WAFX Prize overall winner has also been announced during the live festival. WAFX recognizes projects that best use design and architecture to tackle major world issues, including health, climate change, technology, ethics and values.
THE WAFX Prize overall winner has also been announced during the live festival. WAFX recognizes projects that best use design and architecture to tackle major world issues, including health, climate change, technology, ethics and values.
The winning project was Rethinking Oil Rigs – Offshore Data Centres by Arup in United Kingdom. The project rethinks oil rig structures as data centres giving them a new function in the fastexpanding circular economy.
STUDENT CHARRETTE supported by BROADWAY MALYAN
Seven university student teams were shortlisted to take part in a charrette related to the programme theme ‘Catalyst’ during the live festival. The theme was intended to stimulate thinking about ways in which design could accelerate beneficial change in respect of challenges facing society.
The student charette was won by BALAY ARAPAAP: An Inclusive Informal Learning Center for the Remote Island of Puro Caoayan by Team C from University of North Philippines.

DRAWING PRIZE

The Architecture Drawing Prize, sponsored by Iris Ceramica Group and co-curated by Make Architects, Sir John Soane’s Museum and World Architecture Festival (WAF), celebrates and showcases the art and skill of architectural drawing in three categories, the category winners announced last month were:
  • Hand-drawn Category winner: Grundtvig by Ben Johnson
  • Digital Category winner: The Archatographic Map of the Incomplete Landscape on Pedra Branca by Eugene Tan
  • Hybrid Category winner: (Re)membering the See Monster by Eldry John Infante
Next year, the World Architecture Festival and INSIDE World Festival of Interiors will take place once again at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 6 – 8 November 2024.
For more details on the 2024 World Architecture Festival and the Inside Festival of Interiors please visit www.worldarchitecturefestival.com and www.insidefestival.com
@worldarchfest #INSIDE23 #WAF23

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL 2023

Day One Winners of International Architectural Award Announced

The first award winners of the 2023 World Architecture Festival have been announced, following Day One of live presentations at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, in which hundreds of shortlisted projects were presented by practices from around the world. Amongst today’s category award winners of the world’s largest international live-judged architectural event are MAD Architects, Woods Bagot and Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design, who won across three individual categories.

Category Award Winners: COMPLETED BUILDINGS

Clockwise from Top Left: Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co.Ltd; 547 West 47th Street by concrete amsterdam © Raimund Koch; Surat Diamond Bourse by Morphogenesis © Edmund Sumner; Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 © Fernando Guerra 
Civic and Community: Taiwan – Reyhanli Centre for World Citizens by Chen-Yu Chiu and the team of
Studio Cho in Turkey

Tower Hamlets Town Hall by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in the United Kingdom was also highly commended in the Civic and Community category

Creative Re-use: Kaomai Museums and Tea Barn by PAVA architects in Thailand
Culture: Ravenscar House by Patterson Associates Architects in New Zealand
Melbourne Holocaust Museum by Kerstin Thompson Architects in Australia and Art Museum of Fondazione Luigi Rovati by Mario Cucinella Architects in Italy were also highly commended in the Culture category
Display: Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 in the Maldives
House and Villa, sponsored by GROHE: Veil House by 5468796 Architecture in Canada
  • Casa Ward by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect in Italy was also highly commended in the House and Villa category
Housing, sponsored by GROHE: 547 West 47th Street – The West Residential by concrete Amsterdam in United States
Ivankhaneh by Dida office in Iran was also highly commended in the Housing category
Office: Surat Diamond Bourse by Morphogenesis in India
Metallic Bellows by KSM Architecture in India and Montacute Yards by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and Ben Adams Architects in United Kingdom were also highly commended in the Office category
Production, Energy and Logistics: THE COURTYARD CCR LAB by SANJAY PURI ARCHITECTS in India
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR FOREST CONSERVATION by ARCHITECTS 49 was also highly commended in the Production, Energy and Logistics category
School: Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co. Ltd in China
Penna Foundation Rural School by CollectiveProject and Lapalala Wilderness School by Local Studio in South Africa were also highly commended in the School category
Sport: Quzhou Stadium by MAD Architects in China
FERDINAND E MARCOS STADIUM by WTA ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN STUDIO in the Philippines was also highly commended in the Sport category
The judges of this year’s Completed Buildings categories praised the high quality of this year’s projects. Overall, they were impressed with the level of local community enablement and client collaboration. 
Judges felt that these exemplar projects sensitively referenced history of sites and retained vernacular cues whilst giving thought for future development. Many winning projects considered the meaning of ‘waste’ through the use of found local materials, innovative recycled construction systems and even the transformation of ‘wasted’ time. 
Clockwise from Top Left: Shenzen Airport East Integrated Transport Hub by Grimshaw © Grimshaw; United Nations International Office of Migration by Sharon Davis Design, NOMOS, Marvel Design, Buro Happold; Border Village Community Center by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design © Next Office
Sport: Quzhou Stadium by MAD Architects in China
Civic: Border Village Community Center by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran
Pangasinan Barangay Centers by Buensalido Architects in the Philippines was also highly commended in the Civic category
Infrastructure: Shenzhen Airport East Integrated Transport Hub by Grimshaw in China
  • Sinterbecken by Metaform in Luxembourg was also highly commended in the Infrastructure category
Leisure-led Development: Shiraz Cultural and Recreational Complex: The Thickened Earth by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran
Flora – Street Market Reinvented by 3XA in Poland and White Roads Resort by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture in Albania was also highly commended in the Leisure-led Development category
Masterplanning: Green City Kigali by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios in Rwanda
we!park by Shma Company Limited in Thailand was also highly commended in the Masterplanning category
Office: United Nations International Office of Migration by Sharon Davis Design, NOMOS, Marvel Design and Buro Happold in Switzerland
The Code – Luxor Post office Adaptive Reuse by Verform & DMI in United Arab Emirates was also highly commended in the Office category
Competition Entries: Hormuz Eco Resort by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran
Discussing the Future Projects, judges praised the consideration of social enterprise hand in hand with visionary applications of design ideas. This year’s category winners resonated with the jury as authentic solutions that would elevate the everyday to crea
Category Award Winners: INSIDE – for best Interior 
Clockwise from Top Left: M&C Saatchi by Woods Bagot © Nicole England; Link Lab creative offices by Stay – Markland – Link Lab © Cafeine; Royal Tulip Warsaw Apartments by Tremend Sp. z o.o. © Piotr Gesicki 
Health and Fitness: Murrenda Residential Aged Care Home by STH in Australia
Hotels: Royal Tulip Warsaw Apartments by Tremend Sp. z o.o. in Poland
Boatyard Hotel by WJ Studio in China was also highly commended in the Hotels category
Workplace (Large): M&C Saatchi by Woods Bagot in Australia
Montagne du Parc by ncbham in Belgium was also highly commended in the Workplace (Large) category
Workplace (Small): Link Lab creative offices by Stay – Markland – Link Lab in Belgium
35 by Shid Architects in Iran was also highly commended in the Workplace (Small) category
The judges were impressed by the level of care across the Inside category winners and highlighted the attention to detail and deep understanding of project briefs. Each winning studio approached their projects with refined skill and craft, with a particular focus on the use of materials and creating a sense of place.

World Architecture Festival Day Two and Three

Tomorrow will see another set of category winners announced at Marina Bay Sands, bringing the grand total to 44 category prizes. Category winners will then compete against each other on the final day of the festival, on December 1st, for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Future Project of the Year, and Interior of the Year.
All of the overall winners will be announced at a grand finale Gala Dinner, along with a host of Special Prizes, including the International Building Beauty Prize.
For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the Inside Festival of Interiors please visit  www.worldarchitecturefestival.com and www.insidefestival.com
@worldarchfest #INSIDE23 #WAF23

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL

29 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 2023

Two SAOTA projects shortlisted for WAF 2023

We are proud to announce that two of our projects have been shortlisted as finalists for the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2023.
Our project, Wuxi Film Club, located in Wuxi, China, has been selected as a finalist in the Future Project Leisure-Led Development category. This project draws inspiration from the iconic Hollywood landscape, incorporating scripted architectural elements that unfold like a film plot. Wuxi Film Club is set to become a landmark within the city, symbolising the rising star of Wuxi’s architectural scene.
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Another SAOTA project, Silver Mountain, has been recognised as a finalist in the Future Project House category. Situated amidst the Aspen Hills, this private residence offers stunning panoramic views of the Roaring Fork River, the Ajax Mountain Range, and the Aspen Ski Mountain Range. The architectural composition of Silver Mountain encompasses striking tilted roof masses, monolithic stone programmatic boxes, and sculptured pillars, which serve both functional and aesthetic purposes, defining the structure’s elegance and character.
The World Architecture Festival 2023 will take place from November 29 to December 1 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This globally renowned event brings together architects, designers, and industry professionals from around the world to celebrate excellence in architecture and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of the built environment.
We look forward to participating in the festival and showcasing our innovative designs alongside other exceptional projects from across the globe.
This article is originally available in: www.saota.com

WAFX 2023 Prize Winners Announced

Prizes awarded to future projects focused on today’s major global opportunities and challenges
Clockwise: Dubai Healthcare City by Kalbod Studio; Diatom City by Desitecture; Research Institute Corp. Ltd; Rethinking Oil Rigs – Offshore Data Centres by ARUP and 
ChongZhou Bamboo Weaving Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall by China Southwest Architectural Design
Thirty-four exemplary future projects which address major architectural issues facing society and the planet have been announced as winners of this year’s World Architecture Festival WAFX Awards, across eight key categories. The 2023 WAFX shortlist celebrates international proposals which embrace design vision and innovation to address major world opportunities and challengers, ranging from pushing the use pf smart technology and building reuse, to addressing the issue of an aging popoulation and tackling the climate emergency.
View the full list of the WAFX Award winners here
The WAFX Award winners are all selected from entries to the Future Projects category in the WAF Awards Programme, for their ambition and scope in response to today’s most pressing global issues. This is ahead of the live event which this year will take place in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 29 November – 1 December.

View the full shortlist, including the WAF Future Projects categories here.

Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney © Warren and Mahoney
This year’s WAFX categories are: Ageing and Health, Building Technology, Carbon Climate and Energy, Cultural Identity, Ethics and Values, Re-Use, Smart Cities, and Water. The 2023 category winners range from an island centred around medical services in Dubai and an off-grid mixed-use tower in the United States, to rethinking oil rigs as sustainable, offshore data centres in the United Kingdom and an exhibition hall celebrating local bamboo craft in China.

Paul Finch, Director of the World Architecture Festival, comments:

‘Thinking about better futures is part and parcel of the World Architecture Festival program. We are delighted with the quantity and quality of projects which are looking at the biggest problems facing the world, and which are addressing them in a truly constructive way’.
WAF represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges at the international festival. The 34 WAFX winning projects will present on the Festival Hall Stage at WAF, and the overall WAFX winner will be announced live during the festival, alongside other accolades including World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year.
Press can apply for an Official Press Pass to attend the World Architecture Festival here.
Clockwise: The Homes of Homes by ABaD Architects, Cross Architecture; The Ellinikon Park by SASAKI © SASAKI; 
The Probiotic Tower by Design and more international © Karim Mousa – Founder and art director of Mozses; Shenzen Airport East Integrated Transport Hub by Grimshaw © Grimshaw

The WAFX 2023 Category Prize Winners are:

Ageing and Health
Dubai Healthcare City by Kalbod Studio; a multi-functional floating healthcare complex in Dubai, fusing cutting-edge technology and sustainable design.
Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney; a new mental health facility being developed in Alexandria, Sydney, with a focus on holistic wellbeing, open communication and the de-stigmatization of mental illness.
Poona Hospital and Research Centre by Mandviwala Qutub and Associates; a proposed Health City Complex in Maharashtra, India, providing ‘integrated healthcare’ – with alternative therapies sitting alongside the main hospital, and residential complexes for doctors and paramedics.
PHRC – Poona Hospital and Research Centre by Mandviwala Qutub and Associates © MQA
Building Technology
Fisher and Paykel Global Headquarters by RTA Studio; set to be the largest mass timber building in New Zealand, a global benchmark in the post-pandemic hybrid workplace model encompassing net-zero office innovation.
The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Grafton Architects with Modus Studio; a timber research centre for the University of Arkansas’ architecture school, building on the local emerging innovative timber economy,which will offer lessons to students and the public about the future of mass timber buildings.
Preservation and Regeneration of a “Tulou” in Nanjing County by UrbanFabric; the innovative regeneration of a “Tulou”, or earthen building, in Nanjing County, China, which looks to preserve local cultural heritage.
The BRIJ by CRAB Studio; an arts and cultural centre for the Serendipity Arts Foundation in New Delhi, India, including a wide range of passive, traditional and innovative technologies to reduce carbon and embodied energy, while addressing a lack of large-scale cultural spaces.
Absorbent Sand Storm Skyscraper by Kalbod Studio
ChongZhou Bamboo Weaving Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall by China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute; a project in China’s Sichuan Province which utilizes locally abundant bamboo and wood as the main structural and decorative materials, offering a platform to showcase local craftsmanship, and low-carbon, sustainable construction.
Biogenic Construction by CINARK – Center for Industrial Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy; a project which aims to push the fundamental understanding of the potentials of biogenic materials in architecture and construction, in particular mapping clay’s use in thatched building constructions in Denmark and Northern Europe.
Absorbent Sand Storm Skyscraper by Kalbod Studio; 25 glass structure towers on Dubai’s main storm routes designed to absorb soil particles using artificial magnetic fields accompanied by windpipes, to deal with problems caused by sandstorms occurring in large desert cities.
Affordable biobased houses by UArchitects / Misak Terzibasiyan; a project in Bosschenhoofd, Netherlands, featuring biobased prefabricated houses which run off a smart off-grid system, reaching outside where traditional utility companies operate.
The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Grafton Architects with Modus Studio © Picture Plane
Carbon Climate and Energy
Taikoo Green Ribbon by Arup; a net zero workplace concept for Hong Kong which features a living biophilic envelope, and a biodiversity corridor, or ‘ribbon’, that harnesses rainwater, filtering solar gain, air, noise, and pollution.
The Ellinikon Park by Sasaki; the transformation of Athens’ former International Airport into a resilient, climate-positive public landscape, and Europe’s largest coastal park, alleviating development pressure away from Athens’ historic core
The Probiotic Tower, Cairo by Design and More International; an experimental project to repurpose disused water towers to positively address climate change, using features including a large algae bioreactor tank and algae façade panels to absorb CO2.
Sinterbecken by Metaform © Jessie LangMetaformVIZErendering (renders)
Cultural Identity
Nora Mosque and Community Center by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture; a multi-programmed complex for the city of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, with a composition of shell-like platforms, providing a mosque for 2500 people and spaces for social, educational, and recreational activities.
Jain Cultural Centre by Mandviwala Qutub and Associates; a contemporary building in Chhattisgarh, designed for India’s Jain community, which draws inspiration from the local architecture and traditional arts and crafts, and pays homage to Chhattisgarh’s natural and cultural history.
Montreal Holocaust Museum by KPMB Architects; a new building to help the museum reach out to all communities and promote respect for diversity and the sanctity of human life. Addressing one of our darkest histories, the building is designed to speak to resilience, hope, solidarity and courage.
Musée International du Vodun by Koffi & Diabaté Architecte; an ambitious project aimed at promoting, and revealing the cultural and historical heritage of Benin, with a focus on Vodun culture – a flagship project of the Beninese Government, and the first of its genre in West Africa.
Biogenic Construction by CINARK – Center for Industrial Architecture, The Royal Danish Academy © Anne Beim, Lykke Arnfred, Pelle munch-Petersen
Ethics and Values
We!Park by Shma Company Limited; a community-driven initiative that aims to create and promote green public spaces in urban areas of Bangkok, addressing the city’s lack of green space, and problems including air pollution, heat island effect, and lack of opportunities for social engagement and community building.
Pangasinan Barangay Centers by Buensalido Architects; a future civic project for the Fourth District, Pangasinan, in the Philippines, which incorporates solid panels painted with designs from local artists, to help localise each centre, for each barangay, or village.
Makery @ 2nd Street by SANALarc; micro-mixed use residential developments, specifically utilizing the standard dimensions of single-family residence corner lots (80′ x 80′), to help promote and support creative industries in rural area in the US.
The Home of Homes by ABāD Design Studio, Cross Studio; a new form of residential building in Tehran to promote the cultural shift necessary to embrace new modes of urban living, accelerate positive social change and promote healthy social interactions.
Montreal Holocaust Museum by KPMB Architects
Re-Use
Sinterbecken by Metaform; an infrastructure project designed to create a new public square in the middle of a former industrial site in the south of Luxembourg, preserving and upcycling former sinter ponds to celebrate the region’s industrial history while also serving the community’s future needs.
Rethinking Oil Rigs – Offshore Data Centres by Arup; an exploration of how we can rethink oil rigs as sustainable, offshore data centres of the future, in response to the decline of the oil economy and the prominence of data in contemporary society.
Ecodistrict laMercedes in Barcelona by Batlleiroig Arquitectura; the transformation of an old Mercedes-Benz factory in Barcelona, to a mixed-use sustainable neighbourhood, reusing buildings and infrastructures including the central warehouse to create a large public square at the heart of the new neighbourhood.
Kinmen County Central Library and Art Museum by JJP Architects and Planners; the transformation of a former military site in Kinmen, Taiwan, into a special arts and cultural district for the region, responding to its sensitive geological context on the edge of a valley.
Fisher and Paykel Global Headquarters by RTA Studio
Smart Cities
Green City Kigali by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios; a pioneering master-planning project that seeks to address global population growth in Africa, and serve as a green catalyst for economic development in Rwanda.
Punggol Digital District by WOHA Architects; Singapore’s new highly integrated enterprise district, designed to bring jobs, schools and social amenities closer to people’s homes, while integrating smart and future-ready city solutions and technologies.
Shenzhen Airport East Integrated Transport Hub by Grimshaw; a project that connects mainline high-speed, intercity and urban railways with international and domestic air travel, creating a new iconic gateway for China’s Greater Bay Area, and forming one of the most integrated transport interchanges in the world.

Diatom City by Desitecture; an experimental future project which envisages the creation of an autonomous community with a diatom (single-cell algea) – based structure in Detroit.

Musee International du Vodun by Koffi & Diabate Architectes © Koffi Diabate Architectes Images 4 and 5 – Les Crayons
Water
Antioquia Municipal River Parks by Gobernacion De Antioquia – Juan Pablo Lopez – Sebastian Monsalve; a project for the planning, protection and valuation of water and the landscape in Antioquia, Columbia, that seeks to recover and transform the city’s waterfronts into greener spaces for community recreation and wellbeing.
Micro Colony by UArchitects / Misak Terzibasiyan; floating platforms, or island hubs, for bush farming, small holdings, schools and infrastructure, that can form small, scalable colonies, helping to fight poverty and climate change in Bangladesh, particular the intensification of flooding in the country.
Digging For Light by Kalbod Studio; a project including private homes, a school and a water reservoir for the village of Ernan, Iran, based around a series of underground historic water canals, whose domes rise from the surrounding desert. 
HydroSKIN: Façade for Urban Rainwater Retention and Evaporative Cooling by University of Stuttgart; a revolutionary façade concept for rainwater harvesting and evaporative cooling, using a lightweight textile skin to absorb wind-driven rainwater, providing natural microclimate regulation with a minimal amount of embedded mass, energy, and CO2 emissions.
The BRIJ by CRAB Studio © CRAB Studio
WAF returns to Singapore for its 16th edition after the global community of architects and designers last met at Marina Bay Sands in 2015. This follows previous editions of the festival in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event will include a live events programme and keynote talks from an international panel of speakers.
For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the WAF Awards please visit: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #WAF23 #INSIDE23

Inside 2023 shortlist celebrates finest examples of interior design from around the world

Top Left: Biz Istanbul-AKM Terrace Restaurant by Tabanlioglu Architects; Bottom Left: Office SpaceReconstruction of KingJee Winsun by ADINJU Muhhe Studio; 
Middle: Boatyard Hotel by WJ STUDIO;  TopRight: Bananain Concept Store Hangzhou by Some Thoughts; Bottom Right: FUEGO by VAIR Design
The finest examples of global interior design are revealed today as the shortlist for the 2023 Inside World Festival of Interiors is announced, ahead of the live event taking place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 29 November-1 December.
Inside is the sister festival of the World Architecture Festival (WAF), the world’s biggest live architectural awards programme, and all Inside and WAF finalists will present their projects to a panel of judges live at the international festival in Singapore.
The 2023 Inside shortlist represents over 70 interior projects from across the globe, in cities including New York, Sydney, Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Mumbai, Istanbul, Kyiv, Helsinki, Madrid, and London. Leading design firms to feature in this year’s shortlist include Neri &Hu, Atelier Tao+C, Woods Bagot, and Rapt Studio. Many emerging design firms will also be on stage, live pitching against the big names.
View a selection of project images from the 2023 inside shortlist here.
Today’s shortlist celebrates the best new completed interiors across eleven categories, ranging from Residential, Hotels and Bars & Restaurants to Workplaces, Public Buildings, and meanwhile use, each giving a window into the most cutting-edge interior design innovations, concepts, processes, and trends from around the world. The judging panel for this year’s Inside awards consists of international industry experts, including Linzi Cassels of Perkins +Will, Vincent de Graaf of AIM Architecture, Simone de Gale of Simone de Gale Architects, Friedrich Ludewig of ACME, and Ingridvan der Heijdenof Civic Architects.

The full shortlist for this year’s Inside projects can be viewed here.

The Inside 2023 short list follows the announcement of the WAF shortlist earlier this week (10 July), celebrating the best new global completed buildings, landscapes, and future architecture concepts across 33 categories.
For the 16th edition, Inside, and WAF return to world-class venue Marina Bay Sands, after the global community of designers and architects last met in Singapore, in 2015. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event programme will include charrettes and keynote talks from an international panel of speakers.
On the final day of the festival, category winners from across all eleven Inside awards will go head-to-head for the accolade of the 2023 Interior of the Year. On the same day, the WAF finalists will compete against each other for Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year, and ultimately World Building of the Year.
Amongst the interiors projects to be shortlisted this year are the Intercontinental Hotel Sydney, in the heart of the Central Business District, by Woods Bagot, New Version of Haidilao by Vermilion Zhou Design Group, a revamp of the popular international hot pot restaurant chain, and Entertainment Company Headquarters, by Rapt Studio, an interior workplace concept designed to channel the energy of life events into a Los Angeles HQ
Shortlisted Public Buildings include Zikawei Library, Shanghai, by Wutopia Lab, the transformation of a bookshop by David Chipperfield Architects into an emerging cultural landmark for the city, and the V&A Photography Centre, London, by Gibson Thornley Architects, a new gallery space within this world-leading museum which features a multimedia room for large-scale, immersive projections, and a walk-in camera obscura.
Inside programme director Paul Finch comments: “This year’s entries are well up to standard, showing a zest for life and color which reminds us of the important contribution design makes to the everyday world.”
This is the second time that the Inside Festival of Interiors has been hosted in Singapore, following previous editions in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin.InsideWorld Festival of Interiors and its co-located event, WAF, will welcome the world’s leading designers and architects for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions, and fringe events, showcasing leading international practices and design firms, the best new projects, and most pressing live debates.

Press can apply for an Official Press Pass to attend INSIDE and WAF here.

For more details on the 2023 Inside Festival of Interiors and the World Architecture Festival please visit www.insidefestival.com and www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #INSIDE23 #WAF23

World Architecture Festival 2023 shortlist reveals most inspiring projects from around the globe

Clockwise: Bamboo Dome for G20 Bali Summit by Biroe; Oman Across Ages Museum by COX Architecture; Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects; Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd
The most inspiring architectural projects from around the world are revealed today as the shortlist for the 2023 World Architecture Festival (WAF) is announced. This is ahead of the live event which this year will take place in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 29 November – 1 December.
WAF represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges at the international festival.
Today’s shortlist celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most inspiring future architectural concepts, across 33 categories, ranging from residential, to cultural, to creative re-use. Later this week (July 13) the Inside World Festival of Interiors shortlist will be announced; WAF’s sister awards programme celebrating the finest examples of global interior design, across eleven categories. The shortlist have been selected from over 800 entries, and comprise comprise 495 projects from 333 unique practices.
MPavilion 2022 by all(zone) © John Gollings

View a selection of project image highlights from the 2023 WAF shortlist here.

This year’s finalists range from major world architects including Foster + Partners, UNStudio, Grimshaw Architects, MAD Architects, WilkinsonEyre, Safdie Architects and Nikken Sekkei, while many smaller practices will also be on stage, live pitching against the big names.
The full shortlist for this year’s completed buildings, future and landscape project awards can be viewed here.

The international judging panel for this year’s awards consists of more than 140 industry experts, representing 43 countries, and will include Lily Jencks, Nigel Coates, Rafiq Azam, Albert Williamson-Taylor, Tracy Meller, Jason Bruges, Annette Fisher, Roland Schnizer and Issa Diabaté.

This year’s finalists span the globe, with the top ten shortlisted countries including China, Australia, United Kingdom, India, United States, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. 
Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella
On the final day of the festival, category winners from across all 44 category prizes will go head-to-head for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year.  A host of Special Prizes, including WAFX, which celebrates imaginative cutting-edge designs addressing major world issues, will also be awarded to projects from the main shortlist. 

WAF returns to Singapore for its 16th edition after the global community of architects and designers last met at Marina Bay Sands in 2015. This follows previous editions of the festival in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event will include a live events programme and keynote talks from an international panel of speakers. 

Jahad Metro Plaza by Khavarian Studio
WAF programme director Paul Finch comments: “We are delighted with both the quantity and quality of this year’s entries. They are a reminder in a world experiencing numerous crises that architects continue to address both everyday and unusual challenges with skill and imagination. We look forward to seeing the shortlisted architects in Singapore.”
WAF and its co-located event, Inside World Festival of Interiors, will welcome the world’s leading architects and designers for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events, showcasing leading international practices, the best new projects, and most pressing live debates. 

Press can apply for an Official Press Pass to attend the World Architecture Festival here.

For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the WAF Awards please visit: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #WAF23 #INSIDE23

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL RETURNS TO SINGAPORE

After almost 10 years of taking place in Europe, World Architecture Festival (WAF) will be returning to Singapore for its 16th edition. WAF will once again be taking place at the world-class venue, Sands Expo & Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands from 29 November – 1 December 2023. WAF provides a platform for the world architecture community to meet, celebrate, exchange ideas, and set the future agenda.
World Architecture Festival will be partnering with Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB), under Singapore Tourism Board (STB), as their destination partner, creating an enhanced experience for all attending delegates visiting from across the globe.
 
Paul Finch, WAF’s Programme Director, said: “We are delighted to be back in Singapore where our Festival took place between 2012 and 2015. The urban planning, architecture and landscape initiatives continue to inspire international interest, and we are certain that our delegates will enjoy the location and its offerings in the same way they enjoy WAF.”
 
Poh Chi Chuan, STB’s Executive Director for Exhibitions & Conferences, said: “We are delighted that World Architecture Festival is returning to Singapore in November this year. WAF’s return reflects the industry’s confidence in Singapore as the preferred destination for business events and a gateway to the fast-growing Asia Pacific. We look forward to the continued success of WAF in Singapore, where entrepreneurs and forward-thinking professionals from around the world meet to break new ground in architecture and design across industries.”
 
The festival includes the largest live-judged architectural awards programme in the world, dedicated to celebrating excellence via live presentations to an audience of high-profile delegates and international juries. Previous winners from Singapore include Kampung Admiralty by WOHA Architects and Oasis Terraces by Serie + Multiply Architects. See all the WAF Singapore winners and finalists here.
World Building of the Year 2018: Kampung Admiralty by WOHA Architects (image credit: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
World Architecture Festival 2022
Alongside the live-judging sits a thematic conference programme, an exhibition of the latest products and technologies, a gallery of all shortlisted schemes and a host of fringe and networking events taking place across Singapore.
In conjunction with the World Architecture Festival sits its sister event, Inside World Festival of Interiors. Inside is a feast of creativity, inspiration and knowledge for the interiors industry consisting of its own awards programme and keynote talks on the main stage of the festival.

To learn more and to book your place to attend the World Architecture Festival and Inside please visit: http://worldarchitecturefestival.com and http://insidefestival.com

@worldarchfest #WAF23 #INSIDE23

WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL

29 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 2023