Announcing the first phase of the 2021 category winners at the World Architecture Festival,
The first phase of the 2021 class winners have been announced at the World Architecture Festival, the world’s largest international architectural event.
This comes after weeks of intense judging during which hundreds of architectural practices from around the world submitted their shortlisted projects.
The competition will be for the final awards for this year’s Building World, Interiors, Future Project and Landscaping.
The winning projects were designed by practices from countries around the world including: India, Australia, Vietnam and Denmark.
WAF, considered the largest annual international architectural event in the world, will be held as a live event from 1-3 December 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Festival will also organize a related event entitled “Inside: World Festival of Interiors”, in which the same event has been transferred to a digital format.
Digital event WAF 2021 will consist of three days of live conference programming, awards and side events, with talks by world-class architectural thinkers and industry personalities broadcast live exclusively to festival delegates.
The first group of category winners features leading global architectural practices, including BIG, Stiff + Trevillion, BVN, Zaha Hadid Architects and many more.
Announcing the first phase of the 2021 category winners at the World Architecture Festival
Below we will present to you the winners in the Completed and Future Projects categories at WAF 2021
Winner of the Healthy Buildings Category – Completed Buildings North Wing in Rigshospitalet
Arkitektur and 3 XN linked up with Nickl & Partner and Kristine Jensens Tegnestue for the North Wing at Rigshospitalet in Denmark.
The judges commented on the project that it carefully considered the day-to-day working situations of staff throughout the hospital environment.
They felt that this building was changing perceptions of how patients and visitors could experience hospitals,
and how the city of Copenhagen would use them, by creating a clear path and a strong connection to the outside world and natural light that embodies healthcare excellence.
Higher Education and Research – Completed Buildings Category Scion Innovation Hub
This category was won by RTA + Irving Smith, designed by the Scion Innovation Hub in New Zealand,
a Crown research institute that specializes in developing technology for the forest industry.
It was chosen due to a combination of key factors including simplicity in design,
use of minimal materials, and ability to disassemble and reassemble.
Mixed Use Category – The Post Building
This category was won by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, who designed The Post Building in London.
The governors applauded the bold reuse of a downtown industrial structure,
which combines social housing for the families of key workers with distinctive new workspaces and a hill of rooftop gardens.
Announcing the first phase of the 2021 category winners at the World Architecture Festival
New and Old – Completed Buildings Category Hostel and Bookstore
Atelier tao + c won this category with the design of a hostel and bookstore in Qinglongwu Village, China.
Described by the judges as a beautifully detailed building, this design retains the spirit of a family farmhouse with brand new use.
Where the architects used rammed earth walls as a container to enter a library, it is passed through two groups of small inn rooms.
Office PCA Premium Grade
This category was won by Grimshaw’s OLDERFLEET, designing one of the exclusive PCA Premium Grade commercial buildings in Melbourne.
Praised by judges for his balance and connection between old and new in a challenging environment,
he meticulously renovated the eclectic late 19th-century Front Street buildings, while realizing a stunning tower behind him.
Production, Energy and Recycling – Completed Building Category Copenhill / Amager Bakke
BIG won this category for designing Denmark’s Copenhill / Amager Bakke,
a new breed of waste-to-energy plant, topped with a ski slope, hiking trail and climbing wall.
The judges described the project as an iconic new landmark for Copenhagen, as well as the highest and most beautiful artificial mountain in Denmark.
The Religion – Completed Building Category Niijima Chapel
Tezuka Architects won the award for designing the Niijima Chapel in Japan.
The judges were impressed by the poetic quality of the space, and praised the simplicity and complexity of the structural design.
Shopping – Completed Building Category New Alley – Old Story
This category was won by Shanghai Urban Architecture Design Co Ltd with its New Alley – Old Story design,
which featured a strong urban design response with a clear sense of context and personality, building on the history and traditions of ancient Nanchang.
The rulers felt that the key to the success of this development was the rich texture and palette of handcrafted materials,
gained by reconstructing the original buildings and developing new streets that maintained an appropriate urban scale and context.
Sports – Completed Building Category Ken Rosewall Arena Redevelopment
Cox Architecture won this category award for designing the Ken Rosewall Arena Redevelopment in Australia.
As the project creates a new style for a ventilated yet enclosed tennis court,
the judges highlighted that the intervention is minimal but transformative through lightweight engineering and sustainability considerations.
Transport Category Moynihan Train Hall
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill won the award for designing Moynihan Train Hall in New York.
The judges praised the highly sustainable performance and subtle adaptive reuse of this historic building.
In addition to a contextual team approach that connects with the culture of New York City.
Announcing the first phase of the 2021 category winners at the World Architecture Festival
Future projects
Civil Projects – Future Projects Category
This category revealed joint winners after lengthy deliberations among the jury,
with judges feeling that both projects demonstrated how architecture can facilitate participation civil
The HCMA Aquatic Community Center in Canada was a highly sophisticated building whose apparent simplicity contrasted with the meticulous thinking behind the design.
Members of the jury praised the details of the heights and the transparency of the main facades, which establish a clear relationship between the interior and the exterior.
Civil future projects category
Verform has proposed the idea of revitalizing rural communities, by extending and adapting women’s health and community building in rural Egypt.
The judges felt that the project was an exemplary in sensitive participatory design from which a highly accomplished building emerged
with a visual celebration of the work and status of women in a rural setting.
They added that such projects represent a sustainable future.
Culture Category – Future Projects Silo City
This category was won by STUDIO V Architectur by designing Silo City in the USA.
CCDI GROUP also won the design of No. 2 Cultural Creativity Park for Grinding Wheel Factory in China.
Also revitalizing rural communities through Verform, the HCMA Aquatic Community Center in Canada.
Contest entries – future projects
Design & More International won the award for designing JANNAT MASJID in the UK.
The design aspires to visitors to literally and figuratively rise above their surroundings,
leaving behind highways and nearby residences.
The building also attracts devotees and other members of the community,
making it a common space for gathering, discussion, discourse and social activity.
Education Class – Future Projects Music Campus
MLKK studio won the award for designing Music Campus in Myanmar.
The judges commended the team of designers for demonstrating exceptional ambition and commitment to actively seeking the challenge of contributing to a community project in a developing country.
The judges felt that the project, under construction, was much more than a building but a catalyst for change in a rural community.
By teaching the local community simple building techniques to build a music center, giving them valuable skills to use elsewhere.
Leisure-led development – future projects category winery
Atelier Sergio Rebelo won the award for designing a winery in Denmark.
The winner was selected as a blueprint occupying a difficult position but resolved by careful analysis,
consideration of historical context and contemporary functions, and demonstrating an appropriate level of creativity.
Judges commented on the design that the architects demonstrated an ingenious use of local materials,
using convex ridges and concave rotors to accommodate a range of complex functions.
Residential projects – future projects category Maison d’Italie
This award was won by Studio Razavi Architecture, designed by Maison d’Italie.
The Office – Future Project Category SE Eckersley O’Callaghan
This category award winner was SHoP Architects + BVN Architecture,
designed by SE Eckersley O’Callaghan for the Atlassian headquarters in the USA.
The winning project was described as liberating in its approach,
with its focus on luxury and the way it innovatively enables 3D interior changes for current and future uses.
Health – Future Project Category Emergency Hospital
Haxton’ Saving Main Street emergency hospital design was submitted by HDR.
