Submitted by WA Contents
From a Blog to a Global Platform: 20 Years of Sharing and Inspiration
Turkey Architecture News - Apr 05, 2026 - 08:47 172 views
20 years ago, in Istanbul, Hasan Barutçu, Suha Özkan and Cüneyt Budak envisioned a platform where architects from every corner of the globe could come together, share their projects, and inspire one another. In 2006, worldarchitecture.org started as a blog aiming to evolve into a portal that provides equal opportunities for countries often underrepresented in Western- centric international media.
In 2017, the World Architecture Community (WAC) launched the Country Editors/Reporters Program as a voluntary initiative to share local architecture and knowledge with a global audience through innovative digital journalism methods. To date, 75 reporters from 32 different countries have shared architectural news from their respective regions. Currently, there are 7 reporters and 3 country editors across 7 countries. We are grateful for their efforts and contributions.
Today, the World Architecture Community (WAC) is a well-known global architectural website with over 41.400 registered members from more than 200 countries. In 2025, we welcomed 1,217,849 visitors from around the globe, with the majority coming from China, followed by the USA and India.
Between 2006 and 2026, a total of 16,676 projects were shared, of which 2,601 won the WA Awards. We have also published 20,652 pieces of architectural news to date. The World Architecture Community is more than just a platform; it is a celebration of creativity and passion for architecture. I, Pınar Barutçu Fricke, have been the director of this vibrant community since 2018, alongside my dedicated editor-in-chief, Berrin Chatzi Chousein, who has been passionately contributing for over 10 years. Together, we have been working to nurture this space that means so much to us and to everyone involved.
This community began as a blog driven by an idealistic vision, rather than a profit motive. Today, thanks to you, it continues to grow with thousands of members, hundreds of thousands of social media followers, and millions of visitors. However, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary, the increasing workload has made it difficult for us to keep up, and we are struggling to make the necessary investments. We are not a large company with substantial capital, and we find it challenging to thrive in the current economic climate.
We are not offering new Professional and Business Memberships at this time while we evaluate the future direction of our website. We appreciate your understanding!
We recently hosted the 53rd Cycle of the WA Awards 10+5+X. This award program has been more than just a competition; it has provided us with the chance to uplift one another through our votes. For 53 cycles, members of the World Architecture Community have competed against each other while celebrating their creativity and hard work. The winners of the 53rd Cycle were announced on March 17th. Congratulations to all the winners! This marks the final Cycle of the WA Awards, at least for the foreseeable future.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all for being part of this community.
Top image in the article (from left to right): Carapace House by Flavio Galvagni won the WA Awards 1st Cycle, 1+1=1 (Canidelo House) by Joao Laranja Queiros won the WA Awards 10th Cycle, Du by Fabrice Commerçon the WA Awards 20th Cycle, 520 West 28th by Zaha Hadid Architects won the WA Awards 30th Cycle, Community Art Gallery Of Plum Blossom by UAD 9 Studio won the WA Awards 40th Cycle, Nine X Nine by Sanjay Puri Architects won the WA Awards 50th Cycle, Parinee I Lobby by Studio Symbiosis won the WA Awards 50th Cycle, Zoland-Emei by Studio J. Bridgland won the WA Awards 52nd Cycle.
