WAF shortlist highlights the world's finest new architecture (2024)

WAF shortlist highlights the world's finest new architecture

Paros Residence was designed by Studio Seilern Architects and is located in Paros, Greece. The luxury villa, which features a large swimming pool, is one of 420 projects to be featured in the 2022 WAF shortlist

Louisa Nikolaidou

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The Rajasthan School was designed by Sanjay Puri Architects and is located in Ras, India. The school was designed with the hot local climate in mind

Dinesh Mehta

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Victorian Pride Centre was designed by BAU Brearley Architects+Urbanists and GAA Grant Amon Architects, and is located in Melbourne, Australia. The stunning building is the first purpose-built center for LGBTIQ+ communities in Australia

John Gollings

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Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen was designed by MVRDV and is located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The unusual building is billed as the world's first fully accessible art depot

Ossip van Duivenbode

Krisda Boonchaleow

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Masjed Almajed Endowments Muhammed bin Abdullah bin Ibrahim Almajed was designed by Alsoliman Real Estate Co. and is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The office building is fronted by ornate latticed screens

Alsoliman Real Estate Co

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SoFi Stadium was designed by HKS and is located in Inglewood, USA. The eye-catching building consists of a 70,000-seat sports and entertainment complex

Nic Lehoux

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MPavilion 2021 - The Lightcatcher was designed by MAP Studio and is located in Melbourne, Australia. The structure is envisioned as a shimmering installation that enlivens cultural activities for the community

Anthony Richardson

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Paragon was designed by Beulah and Fender Katsalidis and is located in Melbourne, Australia. The residential tower includes 227 homes spread over 48 floors

Willem-Dirk du Toit

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Louisa Nikolaidou

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The Handan Wastewater Cleansing Terraces was designed by Turenscape and is located in Handan City, China. The project transforms an industrial site into a lush green oasis

Courtesy of World Architecture Festival

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Children's Science Activity Park Dali Erhai Ecological Corridor was designed by Antao and is located in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. The science center is carefully designed to complement its beautiful natural surroundings

Courtesy of World Architecture Festival

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Shuikou Mountain Workers Movement Memorial Museum was designed by Yang Ying Design Studio and is located in Changsha, China. The striking museum celebrates striking workers from China's past

Courtesy of World Architecture Festival

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Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront was designed by LUO Studio and is located in Jiangmen, China. The stunning timber bridge has an overall form that resembles traditional Chinese bridges

Jin Weiqi

Big, small, expensive and affordable – almost every conceivable type of building features in this year's World Architecture Festival (WAF) shortlist. Consisting of 420 buildings from around the globe, it's a superb opportunity to take stock of the current state of architecture.

The 2022 WAF is being held between November 30 and December 2 in Lisbon, Portugal, and is back to being an in-person event again after the global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the previous two years being online-only. The theme this year is "Together."

"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," said WAF program director Paul Finch. "WAF, the outstanding live event in the world of architecture, celebrates its 15th 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."

Below, we highlight a couple of standout designs that caught our eye, but be sure to head to the gallery to see a selection of the 420 buildings that was provided by WAF. We'll be back later in the year to report on the overall winner.

WAF shortlist highlights the world's finest new architecture (22)

Located in the rugged landscape of Al Sajaa desert, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, the Beeah Headquarters was designed by the late Zaha Hadid herself and has an exterior made up of curving concrete that's inspired by the surrounding sand dunes.

The building boasts several sustainability features to reduce its energy usage, such as solar power and water recycling systems, and is also designed to take the sting out of the harsh summer heat. It's arranged around a central courtyard that helps naturally ventilate the interior and sports carefully situated glazing to avoid solar heat gain.

WAF shortlist highlights the world's finest new architecture (23)

MVRDV's Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, is described by the firm as the world's first publicly accessible art depot. It offers visitors a glimpse into the world of art preservation and restoration, with 63,000 paintings, photographs, films, design objects, contemporary art installations and sculptures, plus 88,000 prints and drawings on display.

The building itself takes the form of an oversized mixing bowl and is finished in 1,664 panels of mirrored glass. It's also topped by a small public park and includes some sustainability features, such as solar panels and rainwater collection systems, to reduce its draw on the grid.

Source: WAF