4. December 2023
World Building of the Year 2023: Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio - Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co., Ltd (Photo: Approach Design Studio - Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co., Ltd. All photographs courtesy of v2com)
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) returned to Singapore last week, crowning the Huizhen High School in Ningbo, China, designed by Approach Design Studio and the Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group, as World Building of the Year 2023.
WAF took place from November 29 to December 1 at Marina Bay Sands, the first time the annual festival has been held in Singapore since 2015. Similarly to when WAF was first held there more than a decade ago, the Southeast Asian location led to more interest and submissions from Asia and Oceania, something that goes along with the fact the architects of shortlisted projects have to travel to WAF to give in-person presentations in the “best in show” format. This interest is evidenced by three winners of the four major awards coming from this “slice” of the globe: the World Building of the Year is found in China, the Landscape of the Year is in Thailand, and the World Interior of the Year is located in Australia. The fourth, the Future Project of the Year, is found in Egypt. Here are the four big winners at WAF 2023, with the first-round categories they won in parentheses and links to the project pages on the WAF website:
- World Building of the Year (and Completed Buildings – School): Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio and Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group Co., Ltd (School)
- Future Project of the Year (and Future Projects – Experimental): The Probiotic Tower by Design and more international (Experimental)
- World Interior of the Year 2023 (and Inside – Residential [Single Dwelling]): 19 Waterloo Street by SJB
- Landscape of the Year 2023: Benjakitti Forest Park: Transforming a Brownfield into an Urban Ecological Sanctuary by Turenscape, Arsom silp Community, and Environmental Architect
Visit the WAF website to see the winners in all categories.
Future Project of the Year 2023: The Probiotic Tower by Design and more international (Photo: Karim Mousa, Founder and art director of Mozses)
World Interior of the Year 2023: 19 Waterloo Street, Australia by SJB (Photo: Anson Smart)
