World Architecture Awards 10+5+X Submissions

BloomLine is a multi-functional urban installation designed for the laneway between 126 and 132 Osborne Street in Winnipeg/Canada, transforming a transitional pedestrian path into a vibrant, interactive community corridor.

Site Description

Community Patio is a pedestrian laneway between 126 and 132 Osborne Street, in the heart of Osborne Village. The site connects the east sidewalk of Osborne’s storefront strip to the back lane. There are no bollards or physical barriers between the pedestrian-only laneway and the back lane, which remains open to vehicular traffic. The neighbouring buildings provide a cozy sense of enclosure. This site has hosted past installations, which transformed the space with painted murals, picnic benches, string lights, and sculpture. The lane is a frequent thruway for people visiting the shops, restaurants, and nightlife of Osborne Village, at all hours of the day/night!

Inspired by the rhythm of nature and the expressive energy of human connection, the design features:

Segmented Vertical Gardens with integrated digital art panels for showcasing local youth art and digital expression.

A Single Continuous Curved Wall forming a public seating zone, equipped with overhead green planters and ambient lighting.

Interactive nodes where visitors can rest, work, socialize or reflect — day or night.

This project aims to create:

A safe and inclusive urban pocket,

A platform for emerging artists,

A climate-responsive micro-habitat, and

A new definition of what a laneway can mean to a neighbourhood.

Design Features:

Modular curved wooden wall panels

Embedded digital art frames

Sustainable green roofing (planters irrigation)

Low-energy LED lighting system

Universally accessible seating

Public art integration (rotating exhibits)

Philosophy:
“Streets are not just for passage — they are for presence.”
BloomLine reimagines the laneway as a living artery of community.

Project Type: Public Space / Urban Gateway Design
Location: 126–132 Osborne Street, Winnipeg, Canada
Project Area: 3.5 cm height, 5.33 mwide x 18.8 meters long
Design Theme: Nature Art Community Microclimate
Selim Senin
Bilgehan Kucukkuzucu
Hilal Er

This project proposes an affordable housing prototype in Denver that addresses urban challenges through a single-stair layout, modular units, shared spaces, and integrated sustainable technologies. It responds to two key housing issues: families are pushed to northern areas due to high rents and a lack of child-friendly outdoor spaces, while younger groups prefer proximity to schools, transit, and cultural hubs near Capitol Hill. Positioned between these areas, the site becomes a strategic bridge, offering affordable housing that serves diverse demographics.

A key innovation is the redefinition of the kitchen. Instead of individual in-unit kitchens, the project introduces shared rooftop kitchens—designed as “introvert” and “extrovert” zones—promoting community interaction, reducing redundant appliances and infrastructure, and maximizing usable interior space. This strategy not only enhances sociability and flexibility but also lowers embodied energy and upfront construction costs.

Sustainability is at the core of the design, driven by Denver’s semi-arid climate and growing environmental concerns. The project integrates rooftop rainwater harvesting for irrigation and cleaning, and a dual-pipe greywater system that recycles wastewater from sinks and showers for toilet use and landscape maintenance, dramatically reducing potable water demand.

The single-stair layout minimizes circulation space, allowing each floor to incorporate shared hubs for social interaction and natural ventilation. In contrast to traditional double-loaded corridors, this approach enhances air flow, daylight access, and spatial efficiency. Operable windows, cross ventilation, and passive shading through adjustable louvers reduce dependency on mechanical systems, supporting a low-energy footprint.

The building structure uses mass timber, a renewable resource with a significantly lower carbon footprint than steel or concrete. Timber construction enables faster assembly, lower waste, and a warm, biophilic interior environment. Solar panels integrated into the rooftop shading devices generate clean energy while providing comfortable, shaded rooftop terraces. A kitchen heat recovery system redirects excess heat to melt rooftop snow during winter, improving thermal performance and safety.

At ground level, gardens, e-bike parking, and public-facing amenities connect the building to the urban fabric and promote green mobility. These horizontal community spaces, together with the vertical stacking of shared hubs, form a “vertical village” that fosters neighborly interaction and collective stewardship of resources.

By combining spatial innovation, modular efficiency, and climate-responsive design, this project offers a replicable model of sustainable, affordable housing. It not only minimizes environmental impact but also nurtures social resilience—redefining how low-income urban housing can be designed to promote equity, ecology, and engagement.

Location: Denver, Colorado
Typology: Affordable Housing
Total GFA (Gross Floor Area): Approx. 18,000–20,000 sq ft (estimate based on floor count and unit types)
Number of Floors: 6
Housing Units:
Studio: Work-Living
1B1B: Single Family
2B1B: Family Unit
2B2B: Shared Family or Rental Unit
Total Unit Area Range: 39.83 – 113.02 sq ft (Room-by-room); 371.80 sq ft (Unit size)

Structural System
Primary Structure: Mass timber frame system
Floor Slabs: Cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels
Facade: Modular panels with integrated balconies and shading louvers
Lateral Stability: Shear walls incorporated within stair core and unit partitions

Circulation & Layout
Vertical Circulation: Single-stair layout (code-compliant for small-scale multifamily)
Fire Escape: External balconies on north and south sides
Horizontal Shared Spaces: Collective kitchen, gardens, and activity zones on ground floor
Vertical Shared Hubs: Community lounges, shared kitchens on each floor

Sustainability Features
Water Management:
Rooftop rainwater harvesting system
Dual-pipe wastewater system (greywater for irrigation and toilet reuse)

Energy:
Rooftop solar panels
Integrated shading devices with photovoltaic cells
Kitchen heat recovery system for rooftop snow melting

Climate Strategy:
Cross and stack ventilation through unit and building layout
Extra-patio ventilation system for summer/winter performance
Natural daylighting via large window openings and balconies

Materials:
Mass timber (structure)
Recycled and locally sourced materials for facade and finishes

Community & Shared Amenities
Ground Floor: Leasing office, study room, laundry room, e-bike parking, outdoor garden
Rooftop: Introvert & extrovert collective kitchens, community farming
Shared Living: Room for social events, cooking, cleaning, and cultural exchange
Ming Chen, Xiaochi Chen, Ying Chen

Villa in Pearl is an exclusive modern villa located on the beautiful Roatan Island in the Caribbean Sea. Situated on the northern coast of Honduras, it is the largest of the Bay Islands and is known for its stunning beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and diverse marine life.
The project was designed with the objective of creating a luxurious, yet functional space that maximizes views of the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The villa is split into two parts - a living area and a rental area, providing a unique and flexible living experience for the owner and guests.
Beach front residence sits on a 1120 m2 sloped plot, with the entrance to the main villa from the street level and the entrance to the rental villa from the lower ground floor. The design features big balconies and terraces, a cantilever infinity swimming pool, big open spaces, endless views of the Caribbean Sea, large ceiling to floor windows. The form and shape of the villa is elegant and contemporary, with clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic.
After opening the doors, we are immediately greeted by an infinite water view and a sense of boundlessness. Moving further, a huge living space unfolds, designed across two floors. This space extends to a terrace, where we are welcomed by a hanging "infinity" pool that seamlessly blends with the endless waters of the Caribbean sea.
One of the main challenges in designing this villa was the salty air, which made it impossible to use open metal structures. Instead, the design team had to use more massive concrete structures and still be able to achieve a light and elegant look. the result is a beautiful and unique villa that seamlessly blends into the natural environment.
The total area of the villa is 630 square meters, spread over three floors, which includes 7 bedrooms and 6 en suite bathrooms. The materials and methods used in the construction of the villa include monolith cast-in-place concrete, which provides durability and strength in the salty air.


Gross Built Area: 630 m2 / 6781.25 ft2
Site area: 1120 m2

Lead architect Ignas Vengalis
Lead designer Arunas Proberkas
Architect Javier Santome

The Feni Airfield, a former American Army Air Forces facility, was a key strategic outpost during the Burma Campaign of 1944–1945. From Feni, the Tenth Air Force's 12th Bombardment Group conducted important operations in support of the British Fourteenth Army, which was crucial in rebuffing Japanese offensives. This airfield has been abandoned for 75 years, with its significance fading due to lack of preservation and illegal encroachment. Wartime remnants are being destroyed, and unplanned development is hindering the city's growth. In 2006, Feni Girls' Cadet College was built on 48 acres of the runway, completely obstructing the site, leaving no possibility for the airfield to reopen.

The thesis explores the historical significance of Bangladesh's abandoned airfields, particularly those built for military use during the British period. These airfields stand as silent witnesses to World War II, awaiting recognition and revitalization. I selected a distinguishable portion of the runway as my project site to honor the legacy of World War II and the contributions of the people from the Indian Subcontinent.

The project's goals include educating visitors about this history, creating an inviting green space, attracting tourists, and promoting economic growth and community development. By employing adaptive reuse strategies, the initiative illustrates how abandoned spaces can be creatively transformed through architecture.

The design concept came from this abandoned runway. Due to abandonment, the runway is losing its character day by day and the inner structure is becoming visible in its brick walls. The building's bold and linear form symbolizes the strength and resilience of World War II, while also reflecting the shape of the runway, capturing the site's strong identity. At the structure’s end, the exposed framework represents the destruction of the runway, conveying the loss and decay over time.

The proposed programs for the museum include various exhibition spaces, such as:
• Tales of the Lost Runway: Educating visitors about the history of the runway used during World War II.
• Below the Surface: Gallery of Bunker Escape: Informing the public about underground bunkers built by soldiers to hide weapons.
• Gallery of Power: Impact of Dictatorial Acts: Highlighting Hitler's dictatorial actions during the war.
• Gallery of Sacrifice: Sharing the stories of the people's struggles and sacrifices during World War II for future generations.
Additional functions of the museum will include a library, cafeteria, souvenir shop, auditorium, administration area, and archives.

Concrete serves as the main construction material to reflect the brutal nature of war, and 10mm argon-filled double-glazed glass is used in the exposed glass structure to reduce heat absorption.

The creation of such a museum will serve as a powerful platform for fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse and multicultural contributions to World War II. By preserving artifacts, stories and historical records, it will not only offer insights into the war’s geopolitical, social, and cultural impacts but also highlight a shared history that binds us together. The museum will promote unity, respect, and reflection among current and future generations, ensuring the lessons of the past shape a more informed future.
Author: Faria Matin
Thesis Supervisor: Amit Imtiaz
Design Studio-X (Thesis) Teacher: Dr Sajal Chowdhury, Rezuana Islam

This project focuses on transforming the abandoned U.S. military bunkers in Vieques, Puerto Rico, into spaces for environmental regeneration and human well-being. These bunkers, remnants of violence and toxic contamination from military use during World War II and later as weapons testing sites, are now monuments to oblivion. The military expropriated over 21,000 acres of Vieques, dividing the island for ammunition storage, civilian confinement, and firing ranges, displacing the local population and devastating the agricultural economy. The bunkers, once designed to withstand explosions, have been abandoned since the U.S. Navy’s departure in 2003, and their misuse as toxic waste storage and even nightclubs reflects the lack of strategies for reintegrating them into the island's development. Their presence continues to limit land use and remains a painful reminder of militarization and displacement.

This project seeks to transform these concrete structures into living laboratories and research centers focused on studying contamination, such as heavy metals, and providing solutions for their mitigation. By reconfiguring the bunkers' curved architectural designs, new spaces will be created that integrate water, vegetation, and human activity, transforming them into dynamic, adaptable ecosystems that interact with the environment. The intervention involves using bioremediation and regenerative agriculture techniques to restore the affected soils and provide a sustainable, toxin-free food supply. These spaces would not only be research hubs but also serve as community gathering areas, promoting physical and emotional health through collective healing and interaction.

The project also introduces inverted bleachers, transforming the bunkers into natural amphitheaters that foster well-being and connection. These structures will allow the community to engage with each other and participate in research on contamination’s effects. Furthermore, a “modern health theater” would act as a platform for preventive medicine and surgeries, enabling residents to address the long-term health consequences of contamination. This approach redefines the role of architecture, turning once-toxic spaces into dynamic, living environments that not only shelter but also regenerate their surroundings. The design of the No-Bunker is a new type of architectural organism that breathes and interacts with nature, offering a new model of resilience, health, and sustainability for Vieques and potentially other war-affected regions.

This approach combines architecture, science, and health to provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges of contamination and public health in communities affected by militarization. Through innovative design and research, this project aims to restore ecological balance, promote well-being, and create a sustainable future for the people of Vieques.

Location_Puerto Rico, Vieques
_Project_Thesis
_Area_13.248m2
_2024_

The structure of the No-Bunker is based on reinforced concrete, similar to the original military bunkers, with the addition of strategically placed porous surfaces in the façade. These pores allow controlled light to enter, fostering the growth of vegetation within the walls, integrating the building with its natural environment. The design incorporates vaulted ceilings with central perforations, similar to architectural features found in churches, creating an open and airy space while allowing for ventilation and light diffusion. Below ground, excavation processes are used to create spaces for water purification, where contaminated water can be treated and filtered before being stored. Additionally, the underground levels house energy generators, harnessing renewable energy sources to power the building and its systems. This combination of sustainable design elements allows the No-Bunker to serve as a self-sufficient, environmentally integrated structure, capable of supporting research, community spaces, and ecological restoration efforts.
Designer: Luz Adriana Niño Jimenez
Supervisor: Daniela, Atencio - Claudio, Rossi - Daniel, Bonilla