On the 10th anniversary of the AZ Awards, the number of submissions has continued to rise, totalling 1,241 from 47 countries. The jury has chosen 68 finalists in 20 categories – standouts that represent the best in architecture, interiors, furniture and lighting, student work and more from around the world.

An exceptional year, an incredible result: the internationally renowned jury of the 2020 AZ Awards has selected the very best from the 1,241 architecture and design entries received – the highest number of submissions to date – from 47 countries around the world. The 68 finalists in 20 categories exemplify excellence in innovation, aesthetics, creativity and social and environmental responsibility.

In 2020, the annual AZ Awards marks a major milestone – its 10th edition, coinciding with Azure magazine’s 35th anniversary – while entering the new normal. Our jury members – Luca Nichetto, Stephanie Davidson, Omar Gandhi, Mia Lehrer and Marion Weiss – were asked to weigh in from their homes in Stockholm, Toronto, Los Angeles and New York as we convened our first-ever remote deliberation process. Their commitment to the task at hand – and the high caliber of projects they surveyed – made this year as exciting as every other. In the next phase we will be inviting the public to make their choices. The People’s Choice portal, where the public can cast votes for their favourite finalists is set to go live on May 14.

Both the finalists and the winners will be feted at the AZ Awards Gala – now scheduled to take place in Toronto on September 18 – and will also be published in the AZ Awards Annual (now Azure’s October issue), which will hit newsstands at the end of September. This special issue will be packed with the best in furniture, lighting, architecture, interiors and landscapes from around the world. Also included are visionary concepts, exciting temporary spaces and extraordinary student work.

As a result of the pandemic, it became necessary to modify the program for the AZ Awards. See the link at the bottom of the page for AZ Awards schedule announcements.

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