Design Museum Reveals Nominees for Designs of the Year

The Architecture nominees are diverse geographically and typologically, with socially responsible projects coming to the fore: two projects envision dwellings for underserved people, while a third project responds to a human-made disaster in order to prevent more from occurring. Four of the remaining projects are located, not surprisingly, in England, the country the Design Museum and new lead sponsor Beazley call home. Three residential projects – single- and multi-family – made the list, with two of them in the United States. Three cultural projects, the traditional mainstay of most architecture awards, are included. Last is one educational project, which is one of two projects in South America.

The full Architecture list is below, with short descriptions courtesy of the Design Museum. The nominated works in all categories will be on display at the museum's new home from 24 November 2016 to 19 February 2017. Category winners will be announced on 26 January 2017, when the overall winner will be crowned. The only time the Architecture winner won the Design of the Year in the award's eight year history was 2014, when Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Center took the top honor.

Arena for Learning, UTEC, Lima, Peru - Grafton Architects
"A university campus in Lima, Peru, inspired by the surrounding landscape."

Better Shelter - Johan Karlsson, Founder & Interim MD; Dennis Kanter, Designer; Christian Gustafsson, Industrial Designer; John van Leer, Engineer and Industrial Designer; Tim de Haas, Head of Technology; IKEA Foundation, Partner; UNHCR, Partner
"Using innovation to create a safer, more dignified home away from home for millions of displaced persons across the world."

Design That Saves Lives, Bangladesh - Arup
"This structural safety assessment project was in response to the collapse of a textile factory in Bangladesh which killed 1,100 workers."

Dreamland Margate, Kent, England - HemingwayDesign, Guy Holloway, Ray Hole Architects
"This attraction has been reimagined with retro-fitted rides, vintage amusements and now welcomes a new generation of visitors."

Fondazione Prada, Milan - OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture
"The new Milan venue of Fondazione Prada combines seven existing buildings with three new structures: the result of the transformation of a distillery dating back to the 1910’s."

Granby Workshop, Liverpool, England - Assemble
"Granby Workshop is a social enterprise making experimental products for homes that has grown out of the community-led rebuilding of the Granby neighbourhood."

Harbin Opera House, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China - MAD Architects
"Harbin Opera House is an extension of the Songhua River—a series of undulating lines that integrate the sinuous landscape into a formal building mass."

Nida House, Navidad, Chile - Pezo von Ellrichshausen
"A detached house located in the Chilean coastline, Nida house is elevated in three levels which captures the distant Pacific Ocean."

SL11024, Los Angeles - LOHA
"A housing complex on the border of UCLA’s campus, the design of SL11024 seamlessly engages its historically sensitive site and challenging hillside topography."

Sustainable Housing - Tatiana Bilbao Estudio
"A project to create a housing prototype with spatial and material qualities at an affordable price."

The Green, Nunhead, London - AOC
"A new public building which accommodates the events, exchange and collaboration that constitutes contemporary Nunhead’s community life."

Tate Modern Switch House, London - Herzog & de Meuron
"This new development connects Southwark with the Thames and provides much improved open, public space around the building."

VIA 57 West, New York - BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group
"A hybrid between the European perimeter block and the traditional Manhattan high-rise that creates a new typology: the 'courtscraper'."