World Architecture Festival announces the shortlisted entries for 2022

Bringing the global architectural scene to the grounds of Portugal in the city of Lisbon, World Architecture Festival (WAF) with its founding partner, GROHE, sets the course for another edition of celebrating architecture from around the world. Under the theme 'Together', the 2022 edition will explore and debate how architecture is responding to the renewal of collective life post-pandemic, and in the light of commitments, to combating climate change along with hosting the world’s biggest live-judged architecture awards programme. Ahead of the live festival event later this year, WAF has announced the shortlist for the 2022 awards. Uniting the most innovative and noteworthy projects from over 50 countries, the 420 shortlisted entries for this year include projects from renowned practices such as Foster + Partners, 3XN, Zaha Hadid Architects, Studio Gang, Nikken Sekkei, Mecanoo, and White Arkitekter, to name a few. At the festival, the architects and designers of the year's shortlisted entries will compete for the 43 category prizes from the three main titles – Completed Buildings, Future Projects and Landscape. The category winners will further strive on the final day of the festival for the honours of World Building of the Year, Future Project of the Year, and Landscape of the Year. With an array of prominent personalities from the industry, this year’s jury comprises Mario Cucinella, Tracy Meller, Sanjay Puri, Gonka Arik Caliskan, Sir Peter Cook, Yui Tezuka, Shane O’Toole, Eva Jiricna, Issa Diabaté, Nadia Tromp, Jo Noero, Ann Lau, and Nigel Coates.

Here is a look at a few of the entries from the main categories.

COMPLETED BUILDINGS

Within the Completed Buildings category, the project typologies vary from rural and coastal villas to contemporary religious buildings and healthcare. The shortlisted 253 entries include projects like MPavilion 2021- The Lightcatcher by MAP studio, designed as a form of urban lighthouse intended to illuminate and reflect the inclusive programmes within, publicly accessible art storage facility Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by Dutch firm MVRDV, the Chamber Church by Büro Ziyu Zhuang, and the new pavilion for the University of Pennsylvania Health System by Foster + Partners. Multiple projects from Zaha Hadid Architects, including the Eleftheria Square, and BEEAH Group Headquarters in Sharjah are also part of the shortlist. Furthermore, one of Latin America’s most advanced institutions for medical research and study, The Albert Einstein Education and Research Center by Safdie Architects is also among the noteworthy entries. Residential buildings like the Paros Residence in Greece by Studio Seilern Architects reflecting a subtle modernism, Valle San Nicolás in Mexico by Sordo Madaleno designed with the aim of protecting the existing nature and Amani in South Africa by Veld Architects, which reinstates a profound connection to site through site specific architecture and artistic collaborations, add to the eminent list of completed buildings.

FUTURE PROJECTS

Showcasing a range of inventive architectural visions are WAF's 152 entries under the category of Future Projects. Amid the varying typologies spanning between masterplan and infrastructure to residential and religious spaces are proposals with a futuristic approach. Following a strong conceptual connection with its surrounding environment, the One by SAOTA, the IGA Istanbul VIP Terminal by Tabanlioglu Architects, and the cultural venue of Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour by Oxbow Architecture Inc. & Richard Kroeker are a few of the key entries in the category. Adding to the list are skyscrapers that emphasise sustainability; projects expressing this idea comprises Petrol Corporate Building by ENOTA, Treehouse by Ronald Lu and Partners and The Tower of Life by Built by Associative Data (BAD). The Nokha Village School in India by Sanjay Puri Architects and the New School in Sundby by Henning Larsen are among the listed entries of educational spaces.

LANDSCAPE

Selectively spread in rural and urban settings, the Landscape category brings forward landscape design works conceptualised around the idea of enhancing the site and functionally inviting more users to the outdoors. Projects within the category are An Villa by TROP Company Limited, which draws inspiration from the environment of Shaoxing, the green coverage of the Ronda de Dalt by Batlle i Roig Arquitectura SLP, and the non-typical rural revitalisation of Gaohuai Village in China by L.J.DESIGN LIMITED. The bridge design by BAU Brearley Architects+Urbanists that blurs the lines between structure and sculpture, Yuandang Bridge is also among the shortlisted projects in the category. Other significant entries in the category include the Handan Wastewater Cleansing Terraces by Turenscape which intends to demonstrate the power of nature-based solutions for cleaning wastewater and recycling solid waste, and the Children’s Science Activity Park in Dali Erhai Ecological Corridor by ANTAO.

Speaking about this year's listed entries as well as the larger event, WAF's programme director Paul Finch shares in an official release, "The number and quality of entries this year has been very encouraging, and we are looking forward to meeting in person to carry out category judging and then our best-in-show awards. WAF, the outstanding live event in the world of architecture, celebrates its 15^th year in 2022. We are delighted to be hosting the event in the magnificent city of Lisbon and look forward to re-engaging with our architect and designer friends from across the world." Welcoming some of the world’s leading architects and designers to Lisbon for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events, showcasing the leading international practices, the best new projects, and the most pressing live debates, WAF and its co-located event, INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, will talk place from November 30-December 2, 2022.

Click here to view the full shortlist of projects from all categories.

Read detailed case-studies on some of these shortlisted projects previously published by STIR:
MPavilion 2021- The Lightcatcher, Melbourne, Australia (MAP Studio)
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (MVRDV)
Chamber Church, Qingdao, China (Büro Ziyu Zhuang)
Eleftheria Square, Nicosia, Cyprus, and BEEAH Group Headquarters, Sharjah, UAE (Zaha Hadid Architects)
The Tower of Life, Senegal, Africa (Built by Associative Data)
An Villa, Shaoxing, China (Trop Landscape)
Secure Sanand, Sanand, India (Studio SAAR)

(Text by Sunena V Maju, intern at STIRworld)