The 2023 World Architecture Festival revealed its second round of award recipients, unveiling them after the live presentations on Day Two at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Practices worldwide showcased hundreds of shortlisted projects during this event.

Notably, today’s 2023 World Architecture Festival winners included six projects from Australia, as well as four projects each from Iran and the United Kingdom, marking their success in the world’s largest international live-judged architectural event.

Remarkable winners included Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw in in the United Kingdom, Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects in Italy, Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre in the United Kingdom for Mixed-Use, Lanserhof Sylt by ingenhoven associates GmbH in Germany for Hotel & Leisure category and Osaka Pavilion by StudioMK27 in Japan and Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney in Australia in the Future Projects category. Judges praised the city-changing impact of many projects, emphasizing their thoughtful responses to historical elements.

Additionally, the Inside category highlighted exemplary qualities in projects like Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects in the United States, Sage in China for Bars & Restaurants and 19 Waterloo Street in Australia for Residential (Single Dwelling).

Overall, the winners demonstrated a holistic and experimental approach to architecture, addressing urgent sustainability challenges and embedding into existing communities.

Category Award Winners: Completed  Buildings

Health: Victorian Heart Hospital by Conrad Gargett (now merged with Architectus) + Wardle in Australia

Tergooi MC by Wiegerinck in the Netherlands was also highly commended in the Health category

Religion: Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects in Italy

Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects | Photography Duccio Malagamba

New Temple Complex by James Gorst Architects in the United Kingdom was also highly commended in the Religion category

Higher Education & Research: Boola Katitjin by Lyons with Silver Thomas Hanley, Officer Woods, The Fulcrum Agency and Aspect Studios in Australia

John A. Paulson Center by Davis Brody Bond, KieranTimberlake in the United States was also highly commended in the Higher Education & Research category

Hotel & Leisure, sponsored by GROHE: Lanserhof Sylt by ingenhoven associates GmbH in Germany

Lanserhof Sylt by Ingenhoven associates GmbH | Photography: HGEsch

Kilyawan Farm Resort by Dominic Galicia Architects in the Philippines and Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay by Misho + Associates in Australia were also highly commended in the Hotel & Leisure category

Mixed-Use: Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre in United Kingdom (cover image)

Regeneration Project of Shougang Oxygen Factory Southern Area by CCTN Design in China was also highly commended in the Mixed-Use category

Retrofit: Vast Gallery & Artist Residency by Persian Garden Studio in Iran

Ombú by Foster + Partners in Spain was also highly commended in the Retrofit category

Shopping: Shanghai Suhe MixC World by Kokaistudios in China

Namak Abroud Plaza by FMZD + MARZ in Iran and Liangzhu Birland by Qingmo Architects in China were also highly commended in the Shopping category

Transport: Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw in the United Kingdom

Elizabeth Line by Grimshaw | Photography: Hufton Crow

The judges of the Completed Buildings categories reflected onthe considered and beautiful articulation of this year’s projects. Overall, they were impressed with the timeless quality, spatial composition and technical resolutions.

Judges felt that many of the 2023 World Architecture Festival winners were city-changing with thoughtful responses to historical elements including preservation of found architecture, retrofitting and change of use – all making a significant contribution to their locales.

Category Award Winners: Future Projects

Commercial Mixed-Use: Belgrove House by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in the United Kingdom

Belgrove House by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris | Credit: AHMM

Albert Bridge House by Studio Egret West in the United Kingdom and Lighthouse at Darling Park by Henning Larsen, Architectus in Australia were also highly commended in the Commercial Mixed-Use category

Culture: Osaka Pavilion by StudioMK27 in Japan

Osaka Pavilion by Studio MK27  | Credit: Blackhaus Studio

Glenbow Revitalization by Dialog in Canada and Al Ain Museum by Dabbagh Architects in United Arab Emirates were also highly commended in the Culture category

Education: Resource Recovery Learning Centre by Terroir in Australia

The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation by Grafton Architects with modus studio in United States was also highly commended in the Education category

Experimental: The Probiotic Tower, Cairo by Design and More International in Egypt

HydroSKIN: Façade for Urban Rainwater Retention and Evaporative Cooling by University of Stuttgart in Germany was also highly commended in the Experimental category

Health: Alexandria Health Centre by Warren and Mahoney in Australia

House: Digging for Light (Ganats villa) by Kalbod Studio in Iran

Digging for Light (Ganats villa) by Kalbod Studio

Nefaar by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran was also highly commended in the House category

Residential: Kuzeh Valley by FMZD in Iran

Discussing the Future Projects, judges praised the experimental and holistic approach to tomorrow’s environment.  This year’s category winners resonated with the jury for their rethinking of architectural approaches, including design and material, to give new meaning to architecture in the modern world. Projects addressed either urgent sustainability challenges, becoming new ‘pedagogical instruments’ and sensitively embedding into the fabric of existing communities.

Category Award Winners: INSIDE – for best Interior

Bars & Restaurants: Sage by Office AIO in China

Education: Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects in the United States

Center for Computing & Data Sciences at Boston University by KPMB Architects | Photography: Tom Arban

Public Buildings: V&A Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects in United Kingdom

Residential (Housing, more than one dwelling), sponsored by Miele: Residence with art museum & depot U40 by Trimonis architects in Lithuania

Residence with art museum & depot U40 by Trimionis architects | Photography: Leonas Garbaciauskas

Residential (Single Dwelling): 19 Waterloo Street by SJB in Australia

Retail: Bijou Shop in Tehran Grand Bazaar by Nextoffice, Studio of Architectural Research & Design in Iran

Presented by Riyadh by External Reference Architects in Saudi Arabia was also highly commended in the Retail category

Temporary/Meanwhile Use: Eucalyptusdom by SJB in collaboration with Richard Leplastrier AO and Vania Contreras in Australia

The judges were impressed by the quality of the presentations across the Inside category winners and highlighted the exemplar qualities of projects for creating ‘magic experiences’ and ‘using local material in a poetic way’.

Judges felt that each winning studio had immaculate responses that fulfilled the client’s brief while ensuring consideration of the wider impact on society and the environment.

On the final day of the festival, prize winners across all 44 categories winners announced so far will compete for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, World Interior of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Landscape of the Year.

All the overall 2023 World Architecture Festival winner will be announced at a grand finale Gala Dinner at Marina Bay Sands along with a host of Special Prizes, including the International Building Beauty Prize.

Cover image: Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre | Photography: Peter Landers