WAF represents the world’s biggest live-judged architectural awards programme, where all finalists present their projects to a panel of judges including Architecture NZ editor Chris Barton at the international festival to be held in Singapore from 29 November–1 December.

Today’s shortlist celebrates the best newly completed buildings and landscapes as well as the most inspiring future architectural concepts, across 33 categories, ranging from residential to cultural, to creative reuse.

New Zealand finalists in the Completed Building category:

• Patterson Associates for Ravenscar House
• RTA Studio in association with Bureaux for The Great Glenorchy Alpine Base Camp
• MacKayCurtis for Mawhitipana House
• Monk Mackenzie (architects) with Bureaux (interior) for Edition
• Woods Bagot in association with Warren and Mahoney for Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
• Stevens Lawson for Mawhiti House

New Zealand finalists in the Display category:

• Stevens Lawson in association with Jack Mckinney Architects for Te Puna at Auckland Zoo

New Zealand finalists in the Creative Reuse category:

• matter for Pink Palace

New Zealand finalists in the Future Projects category:

• Pepper Architects for Onetangi Cliff House
• matter for Hyperbole House
• Monk Mackenzie, Novare Design, AECOM and artist Len Hetet for Te Awa Kairangi
• RTA Studio for Fisher and Paykel Headquarters
• Alessandro Quadrelli Architetto Ltd. for Te Kete - The Piste

The full shortlist for this year’s completed buildings, future and landscape project awards can be viewed here.

This year’s finalists range from major world architects including Foster + Partners, UNStudio, Grimshaw Architects, MAD Architects, WilkinsonEyre, Safdie Architects and Nikken Sekkei, while many smaller practices will also be on stage, live pitching against the big names.

The finalists span the globe, with the top ten shortlisted countries including China, Australia, United Kingdom, India, United States, Iran, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, and Japan.

The international judging panel for this year’s awards consists of more than 140 industry experts, representing 43 countries, and will include Lily Jencks, Nigel Coates, Rafiq Azam, Albert Williamson-Taylor, Tracy Meller, Jason Bruges, Annette Fisher, Roland Schnizer and Issa Diabaté.

On the final day of the festival, category winners from across all 44 category prizes will go head-to-head for the ultimate accolades of World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year. A host of Special Prizes, including WAFX, which celebrates imaginative cutting-edge designs addressing major world issues, will also be awarded to projects from the main shortlist.

WAF programme director Paul Finch comments: “We are delighted with both the quantity and quality of this year’s entries. They are a reminder in a world experiencing numerous crises that architects continue to address both everyday and unusual challenges with skill and imagination. We look forward to seeing the shortlisted architects in Singapore.”

WAF and its co-located event, Inside World Festival of Interiors, will welcome the world’s leading architects and designers for three days of talks programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events, showcasing leading international practices, the best new projects, and most pressing live debates.

Later this week (July 13) the Inside World Festival of Interiors shortlist will be announced; WAF’s sister awards programme celebrating the finest examples of global interior design, across eleven categories.

For more details on the 2023 World Architecture Festival and the WAF Awards visit: www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #WAF23 #INSIDE23