World Architecture Festival winners announced

The first twelve winning projects of the World Architecture Festival have been revealed. Unfortunately none of the South African projects in the running walked away with first prize but we’re still awfully proud of them all.

The winners of completed buildings within the Civic and Community, Culture, Holiday, House, Landscape, Learning, New and Old, Office, Production, Energy and Recycling, Sport, and Transport categories were announced last night. These buildings were selected from over 700 projects created by a range of practittioners from internationally renowned firms to local architects from 66 different countries.

VISI Designers of the Year Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens were in the running for the house category with their Dalrymple Pavilion. Also shortlisted in this category was Kotlowitz Marais Architects’ ’25 Loader Street’ in Cape Town. But the winning project ‘Small House’ in Sydney by Domestic Alvaro of Woods Bagot.

Johannesburg’s ‘Arts on Main’ was shortlisted in the New and Old category, which was clinched by Puzzle Piece in Spain by Romera Y Ruiz Architects. Although it didn’t win, we still think Johnathan Liebmann’s visionary project has brought new life to the City of Gold.

Another South African building that narrowly missed a first prize was the much-talked-about ‘Football Training Centre’ in Soweto. Completed by Canadian architects RUF, this state of the art facility (shortlisted in the Civic and Community category) is also in the running for the public vote award. The overall winner of The Civic and Community section was the Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Springdale, USA by Marlon Blackwell Architects.

Winners in the other nine categories were:

‘Shima Kitchen’ in Japan by Atelier Ryo Ade (Culture)

‘Rass Jodphur’ in India by the Lotus Praxis Initiative (Holiday)

‘A Mother River Recovered / The Sanlihe Greenway’ in China by Turenscape (Landscape)

‘The Sainsbury Laboratory’ in the UK by Stanton Williams (Learning)

‘Speedskating Stadium Inzell/Max Aicher Arena’ in Germany by Benisch Architekten (Sport)

‘Media-ICT’ in Spain by Cloud 9 (Office)

‘Kurilpa Bridge’ in Australia by Cox Architecture (Transport)

‘Waste Treatment Facility from Vallès Occidental in Vacarisses’ in Spain by Batlle I Roig Architects (Production, Energy and Recycling)

‘Inbetween House’ in Japan by Koji Tsutsui and Associates (Villa)

More information: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com