2025 World Architecture Festival shortlist announced

The World Architecture Festival awards programme released its shortlist for 2025 yesterday, with 11 projects from nine Aotearoa practices making the cut.

The World Architecture Festival (WAF) shortlist celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most compelling future architectural concepts and interior designs worldwide, across categories ranging from civic, to residential, transport and retrofit.

The overall shortlist of 460 projects comprises 235 completed buildings, 157 future projects and 64 interior designs from more than 350 unique practices.

The live judging event for the 18th edition of the global awards programme will take place in Miami, Florida from 12–14 November this year.

Congratulations to the following New Zealand projects that have made the 2025 WAF shortlist:

Completed buildings

Civic and community

Archives New Zealand, Warren and Mahoney in association with Tihei

Archives New Zealand by Warren and Mahoney in association with Tihei. Image: Ian Hutchinson/ Thomas Seear-Budd

Sport

Hiwa, Recreation Centre, Warren and Mahoney and MJMA Architecture & Design

Hiwa, Recreation Centre by Warren and Mahoney + MJMA Architecture & Design. Image: Scott Norsworthy

House and Villa - (Rural/Coastal)

Bunker House, Chris Tate Architecture

Bunker House by Chris Tate Architecture. Image: Simon Devitt

School

Toi Manawa, Patterson Associates

Toi Manawa by Patterson Associates. Image: Sam Hartnett

Display

Whare Waka, DCA Architects of Transformation

Whare Waka by DCA Architects of Transformation. Image: Graeme Murray

Future project

Leisure Led Development

Rōhi, Monk Mackenzie

Rōhi by Monk Mackenzie. Image: Dawid Wiesniewski

House

Dune House, Monk Mackenzie

Urban Design

Te Ara Tukutuku, LandLAB and SCAPE

Te Ara Tukutuku by LandLAB + SCAPE. Image: Supplied

Interiors

Bars and Restaurants

LDK Noodle Co, Office AIO

LDK Noodle Co. by OFFICE AIO. Image: Supplied

Sugarloaf, Hierachy Group

Sugarloaf by Hierarchy Group. Image: Lightforge Photography

Graham Residence, Hierachy Group

Graham Residence by Hierarchy Group. Image: Aaron Campbell Photography/ Ashley Bing Photography

This year, our New Zealand finalists will be presenting alongside entries from renowned international practices, including Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Foster + Partners, Studio Gang, Grimshaw, Nikken Sekkei, Mario Cucinella Architects and Perkins&Will.

164 judges representing 37 countries will be judging their peers across the first two days of the Festival and all category winners will then go on to present to the Super Jury on the final day.

Learn more at worldarchitecturefestival.com.