The 2023 World Architecture Festival revealed its second round of award recipients, unveiling them after the live presentations on Day Two at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Practices worldwide showcased hundreds of shortlisted projects during this event.
Notably, today's 2023 World Architecture Festival winners included six projects from Australia, as well as four projects each from Iran and the United Kingdom, marking their success in the world's largest international live-judged architectural event.
Remarkable winners included Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw in in the United Kingdom, Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects in Italy, Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre in the United Kingdom for Mixed-Use, Lanserhof Sylt by ingenhoven associates GmbH in Germany for Hotel & Leisure category and Osaka Pavilion by StudioMK27 in Japan and Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney in Australia in the Future Projects category. Judges praised the city-changing impact of many projects, emphasizing their thoughtful responses to historical elements.
Additionally, the Inside category highlighted exemplary qualities in projects like Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects in the United States, Sage in China for Bars & Restaurants and 19 Waterloo Street in Australia for Residential (Single Dwelling).
Overall, the winners demonstrated a holistic and experimental approach to architecture, addressing urgent sustainability challenges and embedding into existing communities.
Category Award Winners: Completed Buildings
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
Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects | Photography Duccio Malagamba
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
Lanserhof Sylt by Ingenhoven associates GmbH | Photography: HGEsch
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 (cover image)
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
Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw | Photography: Hufton Crow
The judges of the Completed Buildings categories reflected onthe 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 2023 World Architecture Festival winners 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
Commercial Mixed-Use: Belgrove House by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in the United Kingdom
Belgrove House by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris | Credit: AHMM
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
Osaka Pavilion by Studio MK27 | Credit: Blackhaus Studio
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
Digging for Light (Ganats villa) by Kalbod Studio
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
Bars & Restaurants: Sage by Office AIO in China
Education: Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects in the United States
Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects | Photography: Tom Arban
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
Residence with art museum & depot U40 by Trimionis architects | Photography: Leonas Garbaciauskas
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.
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 2023 World Architecture Festival winner 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.
