World Architecture Festival (WAF) has announced projects for its 2023 shortlist, revealing the most inspiring architectural projects from around the world.

This announcement comes ahead of its 2023 live event, which will be held in Singapore, at Marina Bay Sands, from 29 November - 1 December.

World Architecture Festival represents the world’s biggest live judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges at the international festival. 

Image © Katsumasa Tanaka | Toagosei Hydrogen station Tokushima by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates

This year’s finalists range from major world architects including Foster + Partners, UNStudio, Grimshaw Architects, MAD Architects, WilkinsonEyre, Safdie Architects and Nikken Sekkei, while many smaller practices will also be on stage, live pitching against the big names.

World Architecture Community is official media partner of World Architecture Festival and INSIDE 2023 and we will be bringing you the latest news about the festivals' speaker line-up and sessions. 

WAC readers can receive an exclusive 20% discount over delegate passes for WAF and INSIDE by entering this promo code online: WAC2320. Start your registrations on WAF's website.

This year's shortlist celebrates the best new completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most inspiring future architectural concepts, across 33 categories, ranging from residential, to cultural, to creative re-use. The shortlist have been selected from over 800 entries, and comprise comprise 495 projects from 333 unique practices.

Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects. Image © Duccio Malagamba

"We are delighted with both the quantity and quality of this year’s entries," said WAF programme director Paul Finch.

"They are a reminder in a world experiencing numerous crises that architects continue to address both everyday and unusual challenges with skill and imagination. We look forward to seeing the shortlisted architects in Singapore," Finch added.

Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects. Image © W Workspace

The international judging panel for this year’s awards consists of more than 140 industry experts, representing 43 countries, and will include Lily Jencks, Nigel Coates, Rafiq Azam, Albert Williamson-Taylor, Tracy Meller, Jason Bruges, Annette Fisher, Roland Schnizer and Issa Diabaté.

This year’s finalists span the globe, with the top ten shortlisted countries including China, Australia, United Kingdom, India, United States, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and Japan.  

Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd. Image © SIMON

On the final day of the festival, category winners from across all 44 category prizes will go head-to-head for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year. 

A host of Special Prizes, including WAFX, which celebrates imaginative cutting-edge designs addressing major world issues, will also be awarded to projects from the main shortlist. 

The Mosque of Light by Dabbagh Architects. Image © Gerry O'Leary

WAF returns to Singapore for its 16th edition after the global community of architects and designers last met at Marina Bay Sands in 2015. 

This follows previous editions of the festival in Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Berlin. In addition to the unique live-judged awards programme and crit presentations, this year’s event will include a live events programme and keynote talks from an international panel of speakers. 

Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27. Image © Fernando Guerra

WAF and its co-located event, Inside World Festival of Interiors, will welcome the world’s leading architects and designers for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events, showcasing leading international practices, the best new projects, and most pressing live debates. 

Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre. Image © Peter Landers

Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay by Misho + Associates. Image © Peter Whyte

China Hangzhou E-sports Centre by Central-South Architectural Design Institute co.,ltd. Image © ZHENG SHI

Jahad Metro Plaza by Khavarian Studio. Image © Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh

Teatra Letni by Flanagan Lawrence. Image © Piotr Krajewski

Center for Computing & Data Sciences by KPMB Architects. Image © Tom Arban

Pusayapuri by EKAR Architects. Image © Rungkit Charoenwat

Mirai House of Arches by Sanjay Puri Architects. Image © Dinesh Mehta

Benjakitti Forest Park by TURENSCAPE, Arsom silp Community and Environmental Architect. Image © Turenscape & Arsom Silp Community

Oman Across Ages Museum by COX Architecture. Image © Sami Khamis Sanjor Al Qawal, Senior Photographer

See the full shortlisted projects on WAF's website. 

Top image courtesy of Biroe Architects, Bamboo Dome for G20 Bali Summit Biroe.

> via WAF

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