And Your WAF 2024 Winners Are…

The 2024 World Architecture Festival handed the coveted WAF trophies at the Gala Dinner held at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, last night, November 8. Delegates from across the globe were able to watch the awarding of World Building of the Year, World Interior of the Year, Future Project of the Year, and Landscape of the Year. Special Prizes, including the Sustainability Prize and Best Use of Colour Prize, were also acknowledged during the gala.

WAF winners

World Building of the Year

The Darlington Public School in Australia by fjcstudio, a community school is located on the fringe of Sydney, is WAF 2024’s World Building of the Year. fjcstudio previously won Building of the Year in 2013, making it the first practice in the festival’s history to win the prize twice. 

Alessandro Rossi, Associate at fjcstudio commented: “It’s very humbling given the modest scale of the building – it’s a little school project, so to have won against all the other big projects at WAF is a testament to the client and the community engagement that helped drive the design process. The real winners are the children who will spend time in the building – a place of enrichment for many years to come.” 

On behalf of the jury, Paul Finch, Programme Director of the World Architecture Festival commented on: “the very high quality of several of this year’s finalists, not least the National Star Observatory in Cyprus, but the jury’s unanimous decision was reached relatively easily. 

“The architect of the winning project explored and extended the formal programme of the client, to include the views and experience of the local community and a variety of users. This generated a reading of the history of place, culture and time. 

“The result of the project is poetic, a building in which topography and landscape, inside and outside, form and materials, flow seamlessly in an unexpectedly delightful way. It is also an inspirational proposition about the acknowledgement and reconciliation of historic difference – a pointer to brighter, better futures for all.” 

The Super Jury for World Building of the Year chaired by Sonali Rastogi, comprised Emre Arolat, Mario Cucinella and Ian Ritchie. 

World Interior of the Year

Office AIO’s design for Pang Mei Noodle Bar in Beijing, China was declared World Interior of the Year.  The project showcases a playful design, enhancing interaction within the restoration and streetscape connection.

The client set out to experiment with a hybrid operation, varying service models and menus at different hours. As a result, Office AIO devised a system of spatial programming that changes throughout the day to facilitate different operational needs while engaging and activating its surroundings.  

Judges of the World Interior category said: “This project is an essay in clever design applied to a successful noodle bar business. Its exciting vocabulary of soft walls, roller shutters and cramped tables and chairs capitalises on the real star, the food. When less busy, dining is confined to the inside, but at busy times it spills onto the street beneath a chunky glass and steel canopy. A veritable machine for dining that ticks all the boxes – for its customers, its staff and its owners.” 

Future Project of the Year

Civic project Küçükçekmece Djemevi in Turkey by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture was chosen as Future Project of the Year. WAF said that it addresses the marginalisation of the Alevi community, offering a space that reflects cultural identity and celebrates the community coming together. The building is organised as a series of interconnected fragmented structures, and combines traditional value with contemporary needs for the community, providing spaces to congregate including a dining hall and worship areas.  

The winners of these categories were selected by a Super Jury of luminaries of the global architecture industry – comprising Charu Kokate, Safdie Architects; David Basulto, ArchDaily; Emre Arolat, EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture; Fernanda Patiño, Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos; Henry Steed, ICN Design International Pte Ltd; Ian Ritchie, ritchie*studio; Islam El Mashtooly, OBMI; Kelley Cheng, The Press Room & StudioSML; Fred Holt, 3XN; Mario Cucinella, Mario Cucinella Architects; Mary Bowman, Gustafson Porter + Bowman; Nigel Coates, Nigel Coates Studio; Professor Rafiq Azam, SHATOTTO architecture for green living; Sanjay Puri, Sanjay Puri Architects; Sonali Rastogi, Morphogenesis; Yael Reisner, Objects Beautiful gallery; Zhengxu Zhou, Tsinghua University, Shancun Atelier. 

Landscape of the Year

Designed to meet the diverse needs of the city and its citizens today, the renovation of Shenzhen Guanlan Riverside Plaza by LAY-OUT Planning Consultants Co., Ltd is this edition’s Landscape of the Year. The project focused on responding to a rapid urbanisation lacking character in its spaces and consideration for people.   

Based on the concept of a ‘park-like plaza’, the design has reshaped an open space through diverse activities, tree-lined walkways and cultural heritage, rejuvenating the vitality of the plaza.  

Redevelopment Design of the Eastern Entrance of Shenzhen People’s Park also in China, by Reform was highly commended. 

Redevelopment Design of the Eastern Entrance of Shenzhen People’s Park by Reform is highly commended in the Landscape category.

Special Prizes

While the Philippines did not clinch any of the major prizes, three out of its eight shortlisted projects were recognized for WAFX: The Waste-Wise House by Bacungan Architects, Balai Ani: House of Harvest by Pluszerotwo Architecture, and Peace Building: Maguindanao del Norte Capitol by Swito Architecture Designs. This year’s batch also shows the highest concentration and regional representation yet, with the firms coming from Cebu, Davao, and Manila.

Our performance at the Student Design Charette also marks a record-breaking turnout, with four out of seven presenting teams coming from the Philippines.

WAF 2024 Filipino Winners

WAFX Winner, Carbon and Climate category
The Waste-Wise House by Bacungan Architects
WAFX Winner, Carbon and Climate category
Pangasinan Barangay Centers by Buensalido+Architects
WAFX Winner, Power and Justice category
Peace Building: Maguindanao del Norte Capitol by Swito Architecture Designs