World Architecture Festival Architecture Shortlist 2019, WAF News, Architects

World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist

WAF International Architectural News – Buildings & Architects

5 Aug 2019

Speakers at World Architecture Festival 2019 in Amsterdam

World Architecture Festival 2019 Speakers

26 July 2019

World Architecture Festival 2019 shortlist heralds a sustainable future

Architects grapple with some of the world’s most pressing challenges in the twelfth edition of the World Architecture Festival (WAF), the world’s biggest architectural awards programme, which announces its shortlist today.

Amos Rex in Helsinki, Finland, by JKMM Architects:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Amos Rex in Helsinki, Finland, by JKMM Architects
photo © Mika Huisman

Following the establishment of ‘Architects Declare’, a collective of some of the most renowned practices who have come together to announce a state of climate emergency, this year’s World Architecture Festival shortlisted entries include designs that demonstrate how buildings can play a major role in a more sustainable future.

Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore, by Safdie Architects:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore, by Safdie Architects
photo © Darren Soh

Amongst the shortlist is an eco-airport in Singapore designed by Safdie architects centred around a 15,000m2 state-of-the-art, indoor public garden, which features a 40-metre indoor waterfall falling through the centre of a doughnut-shaped glass roof, alongside 3,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs from around the globe.

Dortheavej Apartments, Copenhagen, Denmark, by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Dortheavej Apartments in Copenhagen
photo : Rasmus Hjortshoj

Dortheavej Residence by BIG Architects flies the flag for both affordable and sustainable modular housing in Copenhagen, shining a light on this nascent mode of construction which has the potential to offer much to the housing crisis.

Whilst one of last year’s winners, Studio Gang, tackles environmental concerns at a volumetric level through its ‘Solstice on the Park’ project – a 26-storey residential tower in the USA optimised for environmental performance through angled window panels which are slanted inwards at 72 degrees—the precise angle at which the sun hits the Chicago skyline at the height of the summer solstice.

Central Library Oodi, Helsinki, Finland, design by ALA Architects
Central Library Oodi Helsinki
photograph : Tuomas Uusheimo ® ALA Architects

In the culture category, Helsinki Central Library Oodi by AL_A Architects, whose founder Amanda Levete is a founding member of Architects Declare, heralds a new era of library design where traditional functions meet modern technology, to create an almost zero-energy building with panoramic views.

UNASUR General Secretary Headquarters, Quito, Ecuador by DIEGO GUAYASAMIN ARQUITECTOS :
UNASUR General Secretary Headquarters, Quito, Ecuador
photograph © Sebastian Crespo

The ‘Future Project: Experimental’ and ‘Future Project: Infrastructure’ categories also launched some exciting and innovative entries, including the proposal for a waterfront park in NYC, transforming oil tanks into community gardens, by STUDIO V Architecture, and the proposal for man-made, mid-bay barrier islands to act as a surge protection system for the Port of Houston, by Rogers Partners Architects + Urban Designers.

3XN Olympic House the International Olympic Committee’s HQ:
3XN Olympic House the International Olympic Committee’s HQ
photograph : Tuomas Uusheimo © Adam Mørk

Major world architects shortlisted include Zaha Hadid Architects, Heatherwick StudioBjarke Ingels Group, Rafael Vinoly Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Grimshaw and White Arkitekter. Many smaller practices will also take part to pitch against the big names. This year’s 534-strong shortlist, ranges from private residential, to education, infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality, cultural/civic, interior and landscape projects across 70 countries.

Heatherwick Studio’s Vessel at Hudson Yards, New York City, NY, USA
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Heatherwick Studio Vessel at Hudson Yards, New York City
photograph © Michael Moran

WAF Amsterdam, The Netherlands

WAF will reconvene in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, from 4-6 December this year. This is the second time the event has been hosted in the Dutch capital, following previous editions in Barcelona, Singapore and Berlin.

National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts, Taiwan, by Mecanoo architecten:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Mecanoo architecten, National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts
photograph © Iwan Baan

The architects and designers behind each shortlisted project will compete for category prizes at WAF from 4-6 December. Presentations of the shortlisted designs will be made to more than 100 international juries in front of festival delegates. Category winners then compete against each other on the final day of the festival, to compete for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Future Project of the Year, Interior of the Year and Landscape of the Year.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium building, London, UK, by Populous:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium building, London, UK, by Populous
photograph © Populous

WAF programme director Paul Finch commented: “We have been inspired by the levels of innovation in this year’s entries, that show the incredible range of ways in which architects are responding to the global climate and biodiversity emergencies we face.

Zaozhuang Stadium building, China, by Shanghai United Design Group Co.,Ltd.:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Zaozhuang Stadium building, China, by Shanghai United Design Group Co.,Ltd.
photograph © Shanghai United Design Group Co.,Ltd.

“WAF has attracted more than 1,000 entries, for the second year in a row, from 70 countries, and we look forward to more than 500 live presentations at the Festival in Amsterdam, showcasing these exemplar projects from around the world.”

A shortlisted building – Central Library Oodi by ALA Architects:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist - Central Library Oodi Helsinki
photo : Tuomas Uusheimo ® ALA Architects

The 2019 completed buildings ‘Super Jury’ which will decide the World Building of the Year, includes Aaron Betsky, President of Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; Anuradha Mathur, Professor at the Landscape Architecture Department School of Design, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia; and Maria Warner Wong, Design Director of WOW Architects & Warner Wong Design.

WAF and its co-located event, INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, will welcome more than 2,000 of the world’s leading architects and designers to Amsterdam for three days of conference programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events from 4-6 December.

sustainable architecture

https://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/2019-shortlist

For more details on the WAF Awards and the festival please visit: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com 

@worldarchfest #WAF19

Bhau Institute of Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Leadership by Shibanee & Kamal Architects:
Bhau Institute of Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Leadership by Shibanee & Kamal Architects
photo © Shibanee & Kamal Architects

World Architecture Festival 2019 Background
The 2019 awards programme received more than 1000 entries for the second year in a row. Architects and designers generated 534 shortlisted entries across 70 countries.

Chinese practices submitted the most projects from any country, with a 68 per cent rise in entries from last year, with large increases also in Russia, which saw a 38 per cent rise, and India, which saw a 33 per cent rise. In Europe, the UK was again well represented, with Italy seeing a 57 per cent rise in entries.

The top 5 countries entering WAF 2019 are:

  • China and Hong Kong
  • Australia
  • UK
  • United States
  • India

Tibetan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum by Shenzhen Huahui Design:
Tibetan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum by Shenzhen Huahui Design
photo © Li Yao

Solstice on the Park, Hyde Park neighborhood, Chicago, IL, USA, by Studio Gang:
Solstice on the Park, Hyde Park neighborhood, Chicago, IL, USA, by Studio Gang
photo © Tom Harris

Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico, by Studio PCH Inc:
Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico, by Studio PCH Inc
photo © Barbara Kraft

Morpheus Hotel, City of Dreams Resort by Zaha Hadid Architects:
Morpheus Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects
photo © Ivan Dupont

Exhibition Center of Shimao Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center by W&R Group:
Exhibition Center of Shimao Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center by W&R Group
photo © Lv LIN

World Architecture Festival 2019 Shortlist image / information received 260619

WAF Awards

WAF 2019 Architecture Drawing Prize
Li Han, ‘The Samsara of Building No. 42 on Dirty Street’, overall winner of the 2018 Architecture Drawing Prize:
World Architecture Festival 2019 Architecture Drawing Prize
image : Li Han, courtesy of WAF
World Architecture Festival 2019 Architecture Drawing Prize

World Architecture Festival Awards 2018 Day One Winners

WAF Awards 2018

WAF World Building of the Year 2018 Winner
Kampung Admiralty in Singapore
Kampung Admiralty photos : Patrick Bingham-Hall, Darren Soh, Lim Weixiang
Kampung Admiralty by WOHA

The Interlace in Singapore
World Building of the Year 2015
image : Ole Scheeren
World Building of the Year 2015

Media-TIC wins World Building of the Year 2011 at World Architecture Festival Awards
World Building of the Year 2011

MAXXI, Rome, winner of World Building of the Year 2010
World Building of the Year 2010 by Zaha Hadid Architects

Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, South Africa
Peter Rich Architects
WAF Building of the Year 2009

Universita Luigi Bocconi, Italy
Grafton Architects
WAF Building of the Year 2008

Architecture Design

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