World Architecture Festival announced the first phase of its 2021 category winners, following weeks of intense judging in which hundreds of architectural practices from around the world presented their shortlisted projects.
The first set of category winners features leading global architecture practices including: BIG Bjarke Ingels Group, SOM, Link Arkitektur, 3XN, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, and many more.
The ‘Health – Completed Buildings' category was won by Link Arkitektur and 3XN with Nickl & Partner and Kristine Jensens Tegnestue for the North Wing of the Rigshospitalet in Denmark.
North Wing of the Rigshospitalet | Photography: Adam Mork
Judges commented that the project ‘carefully considered the daily working situations of staff throughout the hospital environment' and felt that ‘this building changes perceptions of how hospitals can be experienced by patients and visitors – how the city of Copenhagen will use it – with clear wayfinding and a heightened connection to the outside world and natural light which exemplifies excellence in health care'.
The best designed building of the ‘Higher Education and Research – Completed Buildings' award was RTA + Irving Smith for Scion Innovation Hub in New Zealand, a Crown Research Institute that specialises in technology development for the forestry industry. Judges celebrated the project for key factors including ‘simplicity in design', ‘use of minimum materials' and the ‘ability to be disassembled and re-assembled'.
The winners of the ‘Mixed-Use – Completed Buildings' category was The Post Building in London by UK-based practice, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. Judges praised the ‘bold reuse of a city-centre industrial structure, that integrates social housing for key workers' families with distinctive new workspaces and hill of rooftop gardens.'
Atelier tao+c was the best designed building of the ‘New & Old – Completed Building' category for Capsule hostel and bookstore in village Qinglongwu, China. Described by the judges as a ‘beautifully detailed building that preserves the spirit of a family farm with an entirely new use', the architects used rammed earth walls as a container to insert a library, threaded through two stacks of capsule hostel rooms.
Meanwhile, Grimshaw won the ‘Office – Completed Building' category, scooping the award for OLDERFLEET – one of Melbourne's exclusive PCA Premium Grade commercial buildings. Judges praised its balance and connectivity of old and new in a challenging setting, ‘neatly renovating the front street late 19th Century eclectic buildings, while realizing a striking tower behind'.
OLDERFLEET by Grimshaw | Photography: Tim Griffith
International practice B.I.G is best designed building of the ‘Production, Energy & Recycling – Completed Buildings' award for Coppenhill/ Amager Bakke in Denmark – a new breed of waste-to-energy plant topped with a ski slope, hiking trail and climbing wall. The project was described by judges as ‘a new iconic landmark for the city of Copenhagen. The highest and the most beautiful artificial mountain of Denmark'.
Coppenhill by BIG | Photography: Rasmus Hjortshoj
Additionally, Tezuka Architects triumphed in the ‘Religion – Completed Buildings' category with Niijima Chapel in Japan. Judges were impressed by ‘the poetic quality of the space' and complimented the ‘simplicity and sophistication of the structural design'.
Shanghai Urban Architecture Design Co Ltd won the ‘Shopping – Completed Buildings' award for New Alley – Old Story. The building features a ‘strong urban design response with a clear sense of context and character that builds on the history and traditions of old Nanchang'. Judges felt that ‘the key to the success of this development was the rich texture and palette of crafted materials, gained through the rebuilding of original buildings and the development of a new streetscape that maintains an appropriate urban scale and context'.
The ‘Sport – Completed Buildings' category winner was Cox Architecture with the Ken Rosewall Arena Redevelopment, Australia. The project ‘creates a new typology of a naturally ventilated but enclosed tennis arena'. Judges highlighted that ‘the intervention is minimal but transformational through lightweight engineering and sustainability considerations'.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill won the ‘Transport – Completed Buildings' category with its Moynihan Train Hall in New York. Judges praised the ‘highly sustainable performance and the subtle adaptive reuse of this landmark building' as well as ‘the team's contextual approach linking into the culture of NYC'.
