WAF 2023: World Building of the Year and category winners announced
World Architecture Festival unveils World Building of the Year, and winners across all categories, with Patterson Associates securing the Completed Buildings Culture Award, Warren and Mahoney (AUS) honoured with a Completed Buildings Health Award and RTA Studio receiving a Special Prize.
World Building of the Year
- Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio/Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co. Ltd in China
World Interior of the Year
- 19 Waterloo Street by SJB in Australia
Future Project of the Year
- The Probiotic Tower by Design and More International in Egypt.
Landscape of the Year
- Benjakitti Forest Park: Transforming a Brownfield into an Urban Ecological Sanctuary by Turenscape, Arsomsilp Community and Environmental Architect in Thailand.
WAFX Prize overall winner
- Rethinking Oil Rigs - Offshore Data Centres by Arup in United Kingdom
Special mention goes to Warren and Mahoney’s Australian arm for receiving a WAFX Award (in the Aging and Health category) for Alexandria Health Centre, and RTA Studio in New Zealand receiving a WAFX Award (in the Building Technology category) for Fisher & Paykel Global Headquarters.
Drawing Prize
- 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
Special prizes:
Among the projects awarded special prizes was Fisher & Paykel Global Headquarters by RTA Studio in New Zealand, receiving Highly Commended in the Futureglass Prize.
Category Award Winners: COMPLETED BUILDINGS
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
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
Display
- Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 in the Maldives
Health
- Victorian Heart Hospital by Conrad Gargett (now merged with Architectus) + Wardle in Australia
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Tergooi MC by Wiegerinck in the Netherlands was also highly commended in the Health 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Transport
- Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw in the United Kingdom
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.
Category Award Winners: FUTURE PROJECTS
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
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
Competition Entries
- Hormuz Eco Resort by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran
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
Infrastructure
- Shenzhen Airport East Integrated Transport Hub by Grimshaw in China
- Sinterbecken by Metaform in Luxembourg was also highly commended in the Infrastructure 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
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
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
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
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
Temporary/Meanwhile Use
- Eucalyptusdom by SJB in collaboration with Richard Leplastrier AO and Vania Contreras in Australia
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.
Projects by RTA Studio and Warren and Mahoney (AUS), both won a 2023 WAFX Award for addressing issues facing society and the planet.
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 #WAF2