The ‘Oscars of architecture’: World Architecture Festival opens call for entries

Entries are now invited from architects and designers for the 2015 edition of what is the biggest architectural awards programme in the world. The awards are expected to attract more than 750 entries, about half of which will be shortlisted, in 31 categories. Closing date for entries is 22 May, and shortlisting takes place in early June.

Shortlisted entrants will compete for category prizes on the first two days of the three-day Festival, which takes place in the Suntec Centre on 4, 5 and 6 November. On the final day, category winners present again to ‘super-juries’ of experienced and respected judges, who decide on the World Landscape, Future Project and Completed Building of the Year.

This year’s superjurors include Royal gold Medallist Sir Peter Cook, Sou Fujimoto (Japan), Kerry Hill (Singapore); Manuelle Gautrand (France), Benedetta Tagliabue (Spain) and Charles Jencks (UK/US).

In addition to the main awards there are prizes for small projects, use of wood and use of colour, decided by specialist juries.

Commenting on the awards, WAF programme director Paul Finch said:
‘This is an exciting time for the Awards, with no predictions possible about this year’s result. Since our launch in 2008 with our founder sponsor Grohe, we have had entries from about 70 countries round the world, and winners of every shape, size and type.

‘Last year’s completed building winner was a community space in Ho Chi Minh city by a small Vietnamese practice, a21, but we have also had big projects winning, including Zaha Hadid’s Maxxi arts centre in Rome, and Wilkinson Eyre’s Gardens by the Bay project in Singapore.

‘Every year we find new talent competing with established big names, and that is part of the attraction of the event, not just for entrants, but for delegates too.’

The WAF Awards will be presented at a Gala Dinner on the evening of Friday 6 November.

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