The World Architecture Festival (WAF) is the “only global architecture event that combines awards, seminars, and networking.” The annual festival and awards initiated in 2008 with Paul Finch as Program Director. From 2008 to 2011, Barcelona was home to WAF, until it moved to Singapore for another four years. Succeeding years included Berlin and Amsterdam as WAF’s host cities. The three-day festival’s highlight is the simultaneous ‘live crits,’ where hundreds of architects and designers of shortlisted entries present their projects before an international judging panel and fellow designers. Only one entry wins in each category, announced at the end of each day. Then, category winners present to the Super Jury on the third and final day, to vie for the World Building of the Year, Future Project of the Year, Small Project of the Year, and best in Landscape.
bluprint architecture news world architecture festival 2018 shortlist baad studio sunken shrine of our lady of lourdes of cabetican
Principal architect and BAAD Studio partner An Bermejo says on ‘The Sunken Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes of Cabetican’ project: “The boulders, flowing water, and plants are meant to have a calming effect. The concrete structure is slowly revealed as one approaches it. When one finally enters the dark space of the interior, pupils adjust to the sudden absence of abundant light and slowly appreciate on how raw the state of the building is.” Text from BluPrint’s ‘Design Better’ book. Image from BAAD Studio
There were no ASEAN winners in WAF’s first year, but in the 11 years afterward, ASEAN architecture slowly improved its showing in the global arena. Here’s a list of ASEAN projects that won major prizes and in their categories:

2018

Winners

Highly Commended

  • Future Project of the Year: The Sunken Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes of Cabetican in Pampanga by BAAD Studio, Philippines

2017

Winners

  • Small Project of the Year Winner, and Completed Buildings – Civic & Community: Streetlight Tagpuro in Tacloban by Eriksson Furunes, Leandro V. Locsin Partners, and Jago Boase, Philippines
  • Future Projects – Health: Desa Semesta in Bogor by Magi Design Studio, Indonesia
  • Future Projects Winner – Office: Viettel Offsite Studio in Hanoi by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – Hotel & Leisure, supported by GROHE: Vegetable Trellis in Ho Chi Minh City by Cong Sinh Architects, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – House: Binh House in Ho Chi Minh City by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
View through the Streetlight Tagpuro function hall
View through the Streetlight Tagpuro function hall (WAF 2017 Small Project of the Year Winner, and Completed Buildings – Civic & Community category winner) | Photo by Alexander Eriksson Furunes

READ MORE: Streetlight Tagpuro – The Winning Presentation

Highly Commended

  • Future Projects – Education: Viettel Academy Educational Centre in Hanoi by Vo Trong Nghia Architects of Vietnam
  • Future Projects – Leisure Led Development: Krahm Restaurant in Chiang Rai by Hypothesis, Thailand
  • Completed Buildings – Mixed Use, supported by ABB and Busch-Jaeger: Naiipa Art Complex in Bangkok by Stu/D/O Architects, Thailand

2016

Winners

  • Future Projects – Experimental: Beach Hut in Singapore by Spark Architects, Singapore
  • Future Projects – Commercial Mixed-Use: Kampung Admiralty in Singapore by WOHA, Singapore

Highly Commended

  • Completed Buildings – Schools: Baan Huay Sarn Yaw Post-Disaster School in Chiang Rai by Vin Varavarn Architects, Thailand
  • Completed Buildings – New and Old: National Gallery Singapore by studioMilou singapore and CPG Consultants, Singapore

2015

Winners

  • Completed Buildings – Civic & Community: Cam Thanh Community House in Quang Nam by 1+1>2 International Architecture JSC, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – House: Saigon House in Ho Chi Minh City by a21 Studio, Vietnam
  • Future Projects – Commercial Mixed-use: Gardens at Punggol in Singapore by Serie + Multiply Consultants, Singapore
  • Future Projects – Experimental: Home Farm in Singapore by SPARK, Singapore
Cam Thanh Community House by 1+1>2 International Architecture JSC | Photographed by Hoang Thuc Hao | Retrieved from ArchDaily

Highly Commended

  • Completed Buildings – Housing: SkyTerrace@Dawson in Singapore by SCDA Architects, Singapore
  • Future Projects – Commercial Mixed-use: Marina One in Singapore by Ingenhoven Architects, Singapore

2014

Winners

  • Completed Buildings – House: House for Trees in Ho Chi Minh City by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – Civic & Community: The Chapel in Ho Chi Minh City by a21 studio, Vietnam
It is very fitting that the Singapore Sports Hub gestures towards the City that makes all in place.
It is very fitting that the Singapore Sports Hub gestures towards the City that makes all in place. At the heart of the Hub is the National Stadium, a state-of-the-art 55,000 seat sports venue, air-cooled for comfort, and designed with a movable roof and retractable, the first stadium in the world custom designed to host athletics, football, rugby and cricket all in one venue, converting from one mode to another within 48 hours. | Image courtesy of Singapore Sports Hub and Arup
  • Completed Buildings – Hotel and Leisure: Son La Restaurant in Son La by Vo Trong Nghia, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – Sport: Singapore Sports Hub by Singapore Sports Hub Design Team, Singapore
  • Future Projects – Education: FPT Technology Building in Hanoi by Vo Trong Nghia, Vietnam

READ MORE: The Singapore Sports Hub is a spectacle for the city

2013

Winners

  • Completed Buildings – Villa: Namly House in Singapore by CHANG Architects, Singapore
  • Completed Buildings – Production, Energy, and Recycling: A Simple Factory Building in Singapore by Pencil Office, Singapore
  • Future Projects – Leisure-Led Development: Singapore Sports Hub by Singapore Sports Hub Design Team (DP Architects and Arup associates), Singapore
  • Future Projects – Residential: Siamese Blossom in Bangkok by Somdoon Architects Ltd, Thailand
Siamese Blossom by Somdoon Architects Ltd | Image from somdoonarchitects.com

2012

Winners

  • Small Project Award – Transport: Marina Bay Station in Singapore by Aedas, Quarry Bay & Aedas Pte Ltd (Station Architect), Singapore
  • Completed Buildings – House: Stacking Green in Ho Chi Minh City by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – Housing: Martin No 38 in Singapore by Kerry Hill Architects Pte Ltd, Singapore
  • Completed Buildings – Schools: Binh Duong School in Bingh Duong by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
  • Completed Buildings – Shopping: Xtra-Herman Miller shop in shop in Singapore by P.A.C, Singapore
Binh Duong School by Vo Trong Nghia | Photographed by Hiroyuki Oki | Retrieved from votrongnghia.com

2011

Winners

  • Future Projects – Health: Binh Chanh Pediatric Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City by VK, 2050 A+P, and Nhat My, Vietnam
  • Future Project of the Year – Landscape (projects), urban (Completed designs): Kallang River Bishan Park in Singapore by Atelier Dreiseitl, Singapore
Binh Chanh Pediatric Hospital by VK, 2050 A+P, and Nhat My | Image retrieved from arthitectural.com

2010

Winners

  • Completed Buildings – Holiday: Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali by WOHA, Indonesia
  • Completed Buildings – Housing (mixed-use): Pinnacle @ Duxton in Singapore by ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism, Singapore
  • Completed Buildings – Learning: School of the Arts in Singapore by WOHA, Singapore
  • Completed Buildings – Transport: The Helix Bridge in Singapore by Cox Rayner Architects, and Architects 61, Singapore
Alila Villas Uluwatu by WOHA | Photographed by TIm Griffith | Retrieved from woha.net

2009

Winners

  • Completed Buildings – Housing (mixed-use): The Met in Bangkok by WOHA, Thailand
  • Completed Buildings – Transport: Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station in Singapore by WOHA, Singapore

Highly Commended

  • Civic and Community, Interiors and Fit Out – Bars and Restaurants, Structural Design – Spans (e.g. bridges, stadiums, big sheds): wNw Bar in Binh Duong by Vo Trong Nghia Co., Ltd., Vietnam
The Met by WOHA | Image from woha.net

See the complete list of ASEAN projects shortlisted in WAF 2019: Four Filipino Firms Make World Architecture Festival 2019 Awards Shortlist

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