The fabulous winners of the World Architecture Festival 2023

Crowned by the judges of the World Architecture Festival 2023, here are three standout award winners, from residential properties and awe-inspiring interiors to public structures made to educate and nurture future generations

The World Architecture Festival 2023 highlighted the tremendous work completed by architects all over the world, with projects across widely diverse categories. Among the winning designs, we saw the likes of a residential project in the suburbs of Winnipeg, an idyllic villa in the Sibillini Mountains, an apartment in the warehouse corners of Sydney, and a future-oriented boarding school in China.

Not only are the winning projects beautifully conceptualised and executed, but they also explore themes of importance to society at large. In the residential department, we encounter a home design dedicated to graceful ageing, an attempt at rebuilding after a natural disaster, as well as the creative reinvention of an industrial structure with a rich history worthy of preserving.

Room for rest and contemplation and a vital connection to the outdoors are prioritised across all winning projects, highlighting the spectacular capabilities of these architects to grasp and design for modern living.

House and Villa

Photo 1 of 2 Veil House by 5468796 Architecture (Photo: James Brittain)

Photo 2 of 2 Casa Ward by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect (Photo: Dan Glasser)

Designed by Canadian firm 5468796 Architecture, Veil House took first place in the House and Villa category at the World Architecture Festival 2023, praised for its out-of-the-box design amid its old-fashioned Winnipeg suburb. Built for graceful ageing with a high degree of airiness and privacy, the home features an interior ramp that allows universal access across two floors.

Casa Ward by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect was highly commended in the same category, constructed using the ruins of an existing farmhouse destroyed by earthquakes in the region. It faces the Sibillini Mountains, making it a peaceful oasis with a breathtaking view.

World Interior of the Year

Above A quietly charming living area complete with muted pops of colour and a fireplace for cosy nights at home

Above The building’s industrial past and its location among warehouses is honoured by the details of the kitchen design

Above Spread across multiple floors, 19 Waterloo Street was re-envisioned as a three-in-one space, containing a shop, a flat and a home

Above The façade of 19 Waterloo Street, designed by SJB

First clinching the trophy for Best Interior in the Residential (Single Dwelling) category, 19 Waterloo Street by SJB was also crowned World Interior of the Year. Nestled within warehouses for Sydney’s historical rag trade, the topsy-turvy structure had once been a butcher, a grocer, a window workshop, a hatter and a design studio.

In this iteration, it was re-envisioned as a three-in-one space: a shop, a flat and a home. The well-lit and ventilated interiors make the house feel intimately connected to the city. A textured exterior reflects the surroundings, incorporating reclaimed bricks and historical sandstone, while the building’s front gate was sculpted out of cast bronze by Mika Utzon-Popov.

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World Building of the Year

The Huizhen High School, a joint project by Approach Design Studio and Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group

Learning spaces were carefully designed for a healthier, more holistic approach to education

The innovative boarding school is located in Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, yet feels like a world of its own

Interconnected by meandering paths, the school incorporates a “floating forest” of classrooms and tree houses

Students are encouraged to walk and spend time reflecting in nature

Photo 1 of 6 The Huizhen High School, a joint project by Approach Design Studio and Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group

Photo 2 of 6 The future-oriented design was awarded World Building of the Year on the final day of the festival

Photo 3 of 6 Learning spaces were carefully designed for a healthier, more holistic approach to education

Photo 4 of 6 The innovative boarding school is located in Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, yet feels like a world of its own

Photo 5 of 6 Interconnected by meandering paths, the school incorporates a “floating forest” of classrooms and tree houses

Photo 6 of 6 Students are encouraged to walk and spend time reflecting in nature

Culminating in a grand finale, the Huizhen High School by Approach Design Studio and Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group was awarded World Building of the Year on the final day of the festival.

Located in Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, the boarding school was praised for incorporating a “floating forest” of classrooms and tree houses interconnected by meandering paths. Spaces dedicated to rest and contemplation aim to redefine the meaning of wasted time, encouraging students to walk, breathe in the fresh air, spend time in nature and reflect away from academic responsibilities.

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Credits

Images

Courtesy of World Architecture Festival and the respective firms

Topics

World Architecture Festival WAF Winners House Architecture Interior design

Tatler Asia

Rural villas, industrial apartments and other fabulous winners of the World Architecture Festival 2023

House and Villa

World Interior of the Year

World Building of the Year