All 44 categories competed for the winning titles

The ultimate accolades of were announced 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 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 titles.

01_World Building of the Year-Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio - Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co.,Ltd
Photo credit: Approach Design Studio - Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co.,Ltd

World Building of the Year

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 in China. 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.

World Interior of the Year

World Interior of the Year supported by Miele was awarded to 19 Waterloo Street by SJB in Australia. Originally shortlisted in the Residential (Single Dwelling) Category, the winning interior utilises expanded connections creatively within a limited footprint to create an open and quiet oasis in the city.

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’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.

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. 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. 

Special Prizes

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

05_Special Prizes-International Building Beauty Prize supported by RFACT & Ballymore-The Visualisation Prize supported by Lumion-The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
Photo credit: Picture Plane

The Futureglass Prize, supported by Aestech

55 Pitt Street by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects in Australia

05_Special Prizes-Futureglass Prize supported by Aestech-55 Pitt Street by Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects
Photo credit: Woods Bagot and SHoP Architects

Best use of Natural Light, supported by VELUX

See Sea Park by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates in Japan

05_Special Prizes-Best Use of Natural Light supported by Velux-See Sea Park by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates
Photo credit: Tomoki Hahakura

International Building Beauty Prize, supported by Royal Fine Art Commission Trust and Ballymore

Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects in Thailand

05_Special Prizes-International Building Beauty Prize supported by RFACT & Ballymore-Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects
Photo credit: W Workspace

The GROHE Water Prize

Micro Colony by UArchitects / Misak Terzibasiyan in Bangladesh

05_Special Prizes-GROHE Water Prize-Micro Colony by UArchitects & Misak Terzibasiyan
Photo credit: UArchitects

Best Use of Colour

Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27 in the Maldives

05_Special Prizes-Best Use of Colour-Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27
Photo credit: Fernando Guerra

Small Project of the Year

Karuizawa Commongrounds Bookstore by Klein Dytham architecture in Japan

05_Special Prizes-International Building Beauty Prize supported by RFACT & Ballymore-Small Project of the Year-Karuizawa Commongrounds Bookstore by Klein Dytham Architecture
Photo credit: Nacasa & Partners

WAFX

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 fast-expanding circular economy.

06_WAFX Winner-Rethinking Oil Rigs - Offshore Data Centres by Arup
Photo credit: Arup

STUDENT CHARRETTE supported by BROADWAY MALYAN

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

Hand-drawn Category winner

Grundtvig by Ben Johnson

07_Drawing Prize-Hand-Drawn Winner-Hand-drawn Category Winner Grundtvig_III_by Ben Johnson
Photo credit: Ben Johnson

Digital Category winner

The Archatographic Map of the Incomplete Landscape on Pedra Branca by Eugene Tan

07_Drawing Prize-Digital Winner-01_The Archatographic Map of the Incomplete Landscape on Pedra Branca by Eugene Tan
Photo credit: Eugene Tan

Hybrid Category winner

(Re)membering the See Monster by Eldry John Infante

07_Drawing Prize-Hybrid Winner-Remembering the See Monster by Eldry John Infante
Photo credit: Eldry John Infante

About World Architecture Festival (WAF)

WAF is where the world architecture community meets to celebrate, learn, exchange and be inspired. WAF is the world’s largest annual, international, live architectural event. It includes the biggest international architectural awards programme in the world, dedicated to celebrating excellence via live presentations to an audience of high-profile delegates and international juries.