World Architecture Festival Reveals WAFX 2024 Award Winners

WORDS Ishani Chetty


Thirty-three exceptional future architectural and design projects have been selected as winners of the World Architecture Festival’s WAFX 2024 Award from the established short list.

Held annually, the World Architecture Festival‘s WAFX Award, selected from shortlisted entries, aims to shine the spotlight and recognise future projects that utilise design and architecture to effectively address major architectural issues faced across eleven key categories including health, climate change, technology, ethics, values, food and more. 

One of the notable winning projects is the transformation of a disused gas tower in Münster, Germany, into a sustainable residential tower, gaining recognition in the Carbon and Climate category of the renowned awards.  

Here are the selected 33 winning projects:  

Ageing and Health 

  • The 12th Mine Hospital Renewal Design by Yijian Architects , in Henan Province, China 
  • Shenzhen Rehabilitation Center by Stefano Boeri Architetti China, in Shenzhen, China 
  • The New Hospital of Cremona by Mario Cucinella Architects, in Cremona, Italy  

Building Technology 

  • Shoupé mixed-use project by KanLan Studio in Babolsar, Iran 
  • University of Tasmania Forestry Building by Woods Bagot, in Tasmania, Australia 
  • Community for Refugee by UArchitects / Misak Terzibasiyan, in Ter Apel, Netherlands 

Carbon and Climate 

  • Penn’s Landing Pavilion by KieranTimberlake, in Philadelphia, United States 
  • The Waste-Wise House by Bacungan Architects, in North Caloocan, Philippines 
  • Gasometer by Mei architects and planners + Peter Bastian Architekten, in Münster, Germany 
  • Balai Ani: House of Harvest by Pluszerotwo Architectural Design Studio, in Rizal, Philippines 

Cultural Identity 

  • ENKANASA by Tétris Design & Build, in Loita Hills, Kenya 
  • Auckland Stadium at Quay Park by HKS, in Auckland, New Zealand 
  • Wuhan Opera Art Center by PES-Architects Ltd. + The Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. (UAD), in Wuhan, China 
  • University Technology of Sydney – National First Nations College by Warren and Mahoney in association with Greenaway Architects, OCULUS and Finding Infinity, in Sydney, Australia 

Digital Worlds 

  • AI Sampling Singapore by Artificial-Architecture, Singapore University of Technology and Design, in Singapore 
  • The Portal by Form4 Architecture, in Nevada, United States 

Ethics and Values 

  • The Surabaya Urban Transformation project by Broadway Malyan, in Surabaya, Indonesia 
  • RESILIENT GAZA: A Landscape of Resistance by Design and More International, in Gaza, Palestine 
  • CABN Vision Plan by B+H, in Augusta Township, Canada 
  • Shahinshahr Women’s Park by ARSH-4D STUDIO, in Shahinshahr, Iran 

Food 

  • Parasol Agriculture Center by Fractalviews, in Los Angeles, United States 
  • AGRITECTURE – future experimental homes/ workspace- multi functional – Greenhouse Living (Architecture + Agriculture) by tHE gRID Architects in Ahmedabad / varied climates and varied economic contexts, India 

Power and Justice 

  • Küçükçekmece Djemevi by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture, in Istanbul, Turkey 
  • Peace Building, Maguindanao Del Norte Provincial Capitol by Swito Designs, in Davao City, Philippines  

Re-Use 

  • RAMSBURG by Dome+Partners, Noname Studio, Skab, MetaArchitektur GmbH, in Magdeburg, Germany 
  • 40 Holborn Viaduct by Eric Parry Architects, in London, United Kingdom 
  • Institut Thoracique de Montréal – Breathing life into an abandoned urban hospital by NEUF architect(e)s, in Montreal, Canada 
  • 76 Southbank by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, in London, United Kingdom 

Smart Cities 

  • Lingang Open Zone Station TOD project by Benoy, in Shanghai, China 
  • Centipedes by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture, in Istanbul, Turkey 
  • Future Vision for London Waterloo Station and South Bank – Waterloo Station Masterplan by Grimshaw, in London, United Kingdom 
  • Knowledge Economic City by DLR Group, in Madina, Saudi Arabia  

Water 

  • The Greenline Project Master Plan by ASPECT Studios, TCL, City of Melbourne, in Melbourne, Australia  

As the world’s biggest live-judged architectural awards programme, all 33 winners will present their projects in person on stage at the Festival held in Singapore in November this year. Each winner will go head-to-head for the title of the WAFX winner.  

In addition, other project winners will be announced at the live event including World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year. 

“This year’s winners show how major challenges affecting people and environments generate responses which address functional and social problems while lifting the spirits of those who will benefit from creative architecture and design. We look forward to seeing these ideas presented at our Festival in Singapore this November,” says Paul Finch, Director of the World Architecture Festival. 

World Architecture Festival and Inside World Festival of Interiors will take place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 6 – 8 November 2024. | worldarchitecturefestival.com


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