World Architecture Awards 10+5+X Submissions

The project site is situated on a peninsula in one of Turkey's developing tourism regions, surrounded by the Aegean Sea and the Kavaklarboğazı stream. In contrast to the prevalent villa complexes in the area, this design seeks to explore spatial potentials through a fresh perspective, creating a unique architectural language. The design emphasizes a texture of units that harmoniously integrates with the natural topography, serving as a natural extension of the land while fostering shared communal spaces.
This architectural design not only addresses the immediate needs of its occupants but also sets a new standard for sustainable tourism in Turkey’s Aegean region. By incorporating vernacular settlement strategies like fragmentation which is prioritizing human scale, the project achieves a refined contemporary interpretation that resonates with the area’s cultural heritage. A poetic promenade leads visitors toward the settlement, offering a breathtaking view of the lake, reminiscent of a bridge suspended over the water, framed by flamingos and lush forest surroundings.
The masterplan thoughtfully embraces the steep, topographically unique site, ensuring it harmonizes with the landscape while maintaining undisturbed vistas of the lake and forest, despite the challenges posed by the land's inclination. The architectural expressions within the project showcase solid identities developed through years of experience, utilizing local materials such as natural stones and plasters to enhance the plasticity derived from the articulation of masses.
The project consists of three distinct living units, providing a combination of short-term and long-term accommodations. The hotel unit (Block A), positioned at the highest elevation of the site, aims to serve as a landmark, offering sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. This structure is designed to maximize vistas while ensuring that its social amenities are closely linked to an inner courtyard, enhancing the experience for guests. The hotel features a spa and gym that open to the inner courtyard, creating a relaxing atmosphere. An arched passage connects this garden to other units, maintaining the relationship between communal areas.
Directly below the hotel, the "village" (Block B) offers a modern interpretation of traditional living units. Open circulations connect these units, creating an engaging design that incorporates terraces and modular spaces, encouraging interaction with nature. Strategically placed commercial streets and squares aim to serve local residents while also providing gathering points for guests.
The C blocks consist of relatively taller units, designed to avoid a monolithic appearance through terracing. The project features arched passages, open circulations, and social courtyards that reference the overall design, creating a cohesive architectural narrative. Additionally, village cafes and squares serve as meeting points, supported by a pool, activity areas, shops, and restaurants, enriching the social spaces throughout the project.
Overall, the design reflects a typical Aegean settlement, featuring urban piazzas, narrow shaded streets, and vibrant restaurants that celebrate local values. Cultural hubs foster community interaction, while amenities such as local shops, a health center, leisure facilities, pools, spas, and play zones for children enrich the social fabric of the environment. Ultimately, this proposal not only enhances the experience of living and visiting but also cultivates a vibrant community, setting a benchmark for future developments in the region.

Site Area: 56479,63 m²
Gross Floor Area (GFA): 50813,21 m²
Net Floor Area (NFA): 50831,67 m²
Number of Floors: 6
Orçun Ersan, Esra Toygar, Didar Çayır, Neslihan Asena Can, Fatma Begüm Tuncel, Özgün Berk Çınar, Aybüke Öztürk Gözükara, Aleyna Kalkan, Esra Akın

Nestled in a tranquil recreational area by a picturesque lake, the Rehabilitation Center represents an innovative and sustainable approach to adult health recovery. Designed to integrate modern rehabilitation methods, including hippotherapy, the centre provides comfort and functionality while blending seamlessly into the surrounding natural landscape. This commitment to eco-conscious design minimizes the ecological footprint and adheres to the principles of green architecture, promoting sustainability in every aspect.
The green roof is a standout feature in the centre. Covered with lush grass and shrubs, the roof provides additional relaxation spaces, lowers temperatures in warmer months, and fosters regional biodiversity. Numerous private rest zones offer visitors peaceful retreats with stunning views of the lake and nearby mountains, reinforcing the connection between architecture and nature, creating a unique serene environment.
The building’s facades are constructed from innovative, eco-friendly materials that uphold the highest sustainability and energy efficiency standards. The columns supporting the expansive glass panels are made from regenerated concrete, emphasizing durability and sustainability. This innovative approach makes the building resilient and eco-friendly.
Incorporating photovoltaic glass on the facade is a significant design innovation, enabling the building to generate solar energy and reducing reliance on external power sources. This innovative integration aligns with sustainable architectural practices, while the glass’s light absorption properties ensure a cool and comfortable interior environment, lowering energy needs.
Inside, triple-glazed windows with advanced thermal insulation enhance ventilation and natural light while improving energy efficiency. The centre’s interiors use natural materials—wood, stone, and eco-friendly paints—creating a warm and inviting atmosphere essential for recovery and healing.
Addressing the growing need for adult rehabilitation facilities, this project combines modern technologies and therapeutic natural methods, ultimately providing a holistic approach to health recovery in harmony with nature. The Rehabilitation Center by the Lake stands as a model for sustainable architecture, illustrating the potential for design to nurture healing, wellness, and well-being.

• Total building height: 7,200 mm
• Ground floor height: 5,200 mm
• First floor height: 2,900 mm
• Structural system: Reinforced concrete with regenerated concrete columns
• Facade materials: Photovoltaic glass, eco-friendly panels
• Roof type: Green roof with vegetation
• Windows: Triple-glazed with thermal insulation
• Energy efficiency: Solar energy generation via photovoltaic glass
Oksana Maksakova

The project is located in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The land area is 1020 square meters. The total area of ​​the house is 429 square meters. The ground 1 floor villa living room is double height floors high. On the left side there are 3 rooms and a family room. The house has 6 rooms in total. While designing the house, an architectural identity was defined with reinforced concrete floors at different levels. In order to prevent the houses on the other side of the road on the right from watching the balcony on the 1st floor, the 1st floor terrace was closed with a blank wall in this direction. 3 different floors and the console wall on the right side are surfaces that slide over each other and define each other. On the left side of the house, a mass was designed with a sloping roof that would create a contrast with these flat floors, and different movements between the right and left of the house were provided to strengthen each other's existence by creating a contrast. At the front of the house there is a sitting area which is an extension of the living room. This semi-open sitting area of ​​30 square meters is a part of the garden. The swimming pool, which is 4 meters by 14 meters, was designed on the boundary wall side of the garden. The architecture of the house is unique to this villa due to the client's desire for privacy on the first floor balcony. The floating floor pieces allowed us to achieve an original design, distinguishing the architecture of the house from other existing house stock.

G 1 floors
Plot area: 1020 sqm
Total construction area:429 sqm
Selim Senin
Bilgehan Kucukkuzucu

Gwalior is known for its rich heritage and architectural projects. The existing site for the railway station is home to one such heritage building along with a UNESCO listed narrow gauge station. The site sits with a backdrop of the Gwalior fort and is of prime importance in terms of the architecture and the connection to the city. On the west of the site is the old city of Gwalior and on the east is the new settlement.

Connecting the city
The design is seen as a melting pot of the old and new and responds to the same in the architectural style. The station building has a prominent architectural style in terms of an “arch”, which is a distinct architectural feature and defines the architecture of the space.

Proposed design pivots on the arch of the existing station building and reinterprets the same as a light weight shell structure with a profile of an arch. Currently the plaza of the existing station is used for car park. In the design a pedestrian friendly plaza is proposed with an underground cark park and segregated traffic both above and below ground. The new design for the station extension has the opportunity to connect the historical with the new part of the city which is very crucial for Gwalior city.

Amalgamating old and new
The design of an arch has been developed further as an architectural as well as a structural element as a three dimensional element. It’s a modular system comprising of a light weight shell system and an element of this system has been designed to bring in light. This surface is treated with a Jali design inspired by the existing Gwalior fort and connecting to the architecture of the past and preserving the same architectural detail and showcasing it in the design.

Framing existing building
The existing heritage station will remain the focal point. The modular three dimensional arches act as frames and embraces the heritage building and bring it into a new light. The proposed design acts as a backdrop to the existing station building in a subtle way and also creates a new identity for the entire complex. Design is seen as a gradual evolution of design from a two dimensional arch of the existing building to a light weight three dimension vaulting arches for the proposal.

Segregated arrival and departure
The existing station building and the extended wings are both retained in the design with the proposed design flanking the existing building on each side. With arrival on one side and the departure on the other side its clearly segregated. The design also responds to the west side of the site where the narrow gauge station is located. The form creates another station complex on that side for ease of connectivity for passengers, who can access the station from either side of the city.

Multimodal transport
Multimodal transport has been designed on the site with the drop off on the ground. Pick up from taxis and autos in the basement. It is critical to create a smooth movement of traffic on site to create a design that focuses on the architecture and architecture of the space. A Bus terminal just next to the Arrival Terminal is proposed with close proximity to the arrival.

Welcoming gesture for passengers
The proposed building creates a welcoming gesture for the passengers with cantilevers and open spaces that feels like an extension of the outside. The modular system also results in large spans and adds to this welcoming gesture. Built and landscape are delineated into each other as no solid walls are placed on the outside, the cantilever depth was studied using solar simulations to control the harsh sun of the summer and letting the winter sun in.

Light and Shadow
A dramatic play of light and shadow are integrated in the design through the use of an opaque shell and Jali. The duality of design results in animated shadows throughout the day creating an interesting texture which is purely driven by solar movement.

Sustainability
Sustainability is a key feature of the design, the ratio of openings were simulated to reduce the heat gain of the building, cantilever depth was optimized and shallow water bodies are provided to create evaporative cooling.
Orientation of the building is primarily determined by the track direction. The design incorporates large overhangs and shading features to minimize the heat gain of the building. The façade has been designed to achieve optimum daylight throughout the day and at the same time avoid excessive heat entering inside the building. High floor to floor height allows light to penetrate deeper inside the building. To ensure the use of natural daylight has been a primary design feature. Large overhangs and high glass façade allows abundant use of the day light.


Site Area: 120 Acres
Station Area: 24,111 sqm
Built-up Area overall: 9,16,969 sqm
Winner of International Design Competition

DESIGN: AMIT GUPTA, BRITTA KNOBEL GUPTA
PROJECT LEAD: SENIOR ASSOCIATE: AKSHAY KODOORI, SONAL DONGRE JAIN
TEAM:KARTIK MISRA, DEWESH AGARWAL, ANJAN MONDAL, NITISH TALMALE, PRIYANSH JAIN, GAGANDEEP SINGH VIRDI, ADITYA KUMAR SHARMA, STEVEN DERRICK THOMAS, GOVINDA DEY, ARSHAD ACHU, ANKIT VERMA, AYUSH AGARWAL, BHANUJA DORA, CHINMAY CHOWDHARY, DEEPANKAR SHARMA, HARSHI GARG, JITENDRA FARKADE, KESHAV SAPRA, PRACHI VERMA

In today’s secular world, the definition of a worship space transcends religious boundaries. Drawing inspiration from Iran’s historical worship spaces, the design revisits the foundational elements of Mithraic sanctuaries, fire temples, and Persian mosques. The comparison reveals shared spatial genes across these typologies, with variations in their relationships and hierarchies.
During the Islamic era, the spatial organization of mosques closely mirrored that of Mithraic sanctuaries, as if reinterpreted for a new cultural context. However, some spatial potentials, such as the dynamic relationship between interior and exterior in the Dome Hall, were lost in translation. Conversely, elements like the portico were introduced, enriching mosque architecture.
This project seeks to reinterpret these overlooked qualities and integrate them into a contemporary context. The result is a prayer hall that reflects the spiritual and social aspirations of its users while paying homage to the architectural lineage of Iranian worship spaces.
The Ideation Process
The interplay between the material world of the industrial town and the spiritual essence of the prayer hall, alongside the spatial constraints of placing a conventional prayer space amidst commercial blocks, informs the centralized underground design. This approach envisions a "spatial container" embedded within the industrial town, acting as a bridge between material and spiritual realms. Submerging the structure underground mitigates noise pollution and enhances climatic comfort, creating a serene space amidst the region's harsh environment without disrupting the flow of commercial activities above.
Recognizing the absence of a collective space for rest and interaction, the prayer hall is designed as a multipurpose environment. Beyond facilitating religious rituals, it offers a tranquil space for reflection and social connection. By relocating the portico from its conventional position within the mosque to the exterior, the design fosters an inviting environment that enhances spiritual and social experiences. This innovation improves the space’s functionality for extended stays and meaningful interactions.

The Dome Hall
In pre-Islamic places of worship, the dome chamber was a semi-enclosed space that allowed natural elements such as light, wind, and rain to enter, enriching the users' spiritual experience. This concept has often been overlooked in modern translations of worship spaces.
The design seeks to revive this quality by incorporating layered spatial envelopes that connect the inner and outer environments. This approach balances the spiritual openness of traditional sanctuaries with the introspective nature of contemporary mosque architecture, retaining the dome’s enclosed essence while embracing external elements.

The Minaret
Given the limited area of the industrial town, a towering minaret is unnecessary. Instead, the minaret is reimagined as a symbolic element integrated into the prayer hall’s structure. It channels daylight towards the Qiblah during the day and emits interior light outward at night, establishing a dialogue between the inner spiritual sanctum and the external environment.

Spatial Organization: The Relationship Between Parts and Whole
Throughout history, spatial organization has reflected prevailing ideologies and worldviews. For this project, instead of segmenting spaces, each area is nested within another. This creates an architecture of layered spaces rather than isolated enclosures, offering a multitude of possibilities for spatial interactions.

Lead Architect: Meysam Feizi
Design Team: Iman Panahi, Behrooz Nakhaei, Masoud Faraji