Why enter the WAF awards

            ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED FOR 2023

  • WAF is the only awards programme where all finalists present their projects live to a panel of judges live at the festival in Singapore. Discuss your project and use their feedback to strengthen your future work.
  • The WAF awards generate more than 350 pieces of international press coverage each year. CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC, The New York Times, Domus Web and ArchDaily are just a few of the media outlets you could be seen in.
  • Our finalists, judges and attendees span the globe. Develop an invaluable international network that you can seek advice from, partner with and win work from.
  • The judging panel consists of more than 140 industry experts. WAF’s unique, rigorous judging process strengthens your credibility and sets you apart from the competition.
  • Have your project permanently listed on the World Buildings Directory. All entries will receive a listing complete with a full description and images.

World Architecture Festival 2023 will take place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on the 29 November to 1 December. At the heart of the festival sits a unique awards programme. All finalists will present their project live.

The Judges

140 judges representing 68 countries. Only at WAF are you judged by your peers, your heroes and the industry’s power players, all live at the festival at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

See below just a few of the confirmed judges for 2023. View the full list here.

Co-Founder & Director
AKT II
Director
Dyson
Associate professor and Director of the School of Architecture
Dalhousie University
Co-founder | Architect
ACME
Director
ICN Design International
Co-founder, architect
Civic architects
Architect, Managing Director
Koffi & Diabate
Founder
LilyJencksStudio | JencksSquared
Director
Klein Dytham Architecture
Founder
Nigel Coates Studio
Principal Architect and Owner
SHATOTTO architecture for green living
Partner
KieranTimberlake
Co-Founding Director
WOHA
Founding Partner
Morphogenesis
Senior Partner
RSHP
Founder
Guallart Architects
Assoc. Professor
School of Architecture, Tsinghua University

The entry and judging process

January 2023: online entries open to architects and designers across the world.
24 March 2023: early bird entry rate ends. Last chance to save £80 on your entry.
9 June 2023 : Final entries close. All boards, images and descriptions have to be uploaded to your entry form.
June 2023: shortlist decided. Leading architects and industry professionals gather to look at the entry boards and decide the 2023 shortlist. You will be informed soon after if you are a finalist.
10 July 2023shortlist announced. All finalists will be published on WAF’s website, international press and by WAF’s renowned media partners.
14 July 2023finalist delegate rate ends. Don’t forget, all finalists must purchase two passes to attend the festival and present their project live!
29 - 30 November 2023: live judging at WAF in Singapore.  All finalists present for 10 minutes to a panel of three category judges followed by 10 minutes of Q&A. Judging takes place in a ‘crit’ room open to the WAF audience. Category winners are announced at the end of each day.
1 December 2023: live judging for overall winners in Singapore. Each category winner presents again for the Completed Building, Future Project, Landscape or Inside Super-Jury. The overall winners and special prize winners are announced at the Gala Dinner.

What to include in your entry:

Our simple online entry form will guide you through the process. You can save and return to your entry at any point (even after you have paid!) Here is an overview of what to include.

  • 2 x A2 entry boards (we print them for you, the judges use these to make their shortlisting decisions)
  • A project summary of 200 – 500 words to be included on the World buildings Directory
  • A hero image of your project
  • Up to 6 further images of the project including photographs and plans

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED FOR 2023.

Increase your chances of winning at WAF

Special Prizes

Alongside the WAF award categories are a host of special prizes awarded to projects from the main shortlist. Entrants do not have to pay any additional fees to be considered for the prizes. Shortlisted projects will go on to compete in the live-judging at WAF.

WAFX

WAFX celebrates international proposals which embrace cutting-edge design addressing major world issues. The WAFX shortlisted projects will be chosen from the WAF Future Projects shortlist with no additional cost or material needed from the entrant. Winners will go on to present on the Festival Hall Stage at WAF.

Inside

Inside World Festival of Interiors is the sister awards programme of WAF and celebrates the finest examples of global interior design. It takes place at the same time and location as WAF. Submit your interior projects across 11 categories.

Categories

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED FOR 2023. THE SHORTLIST WILL BE REVEALED IN JULY.


COMPLETED BUILDINGS 

All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Civic and community Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Ambulance/fire stations
Cemeteries
Community centres
Consulates and embassies
Law courts
Libraries
Parliamentary buildings
Prisons/police stations
Town halls

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Createive Re-use Completed Buildings category are buildings or complexes that have been adapted for an entirely new purpose, eg an old town hall converted into a hotel

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the Culture Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Cinemas
Concert halls
Galleries
Libraries
Museums
Performance spaces
Theatres

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the Display Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Aquariums
Exhibition centres
Showrooms
Visitor centres
Zoos and aviaries

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Health Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Doctors' and dentists' surgeries
Hospitals
Nursing homes

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Higher Education and Research Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Research Facilities
University/college buildings
University/college campuses/masterplans

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Hotel and Leisure Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Bars
Hotels
Restaurants
Spas
Theme parks

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the House and Villa Completed Buildings category are single dewllings in any location.

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Housing Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Mixed complexes
Private housing

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Mixed-use Completed Buildings category include buildings that have multiple uses.

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Retrofit Completed Buildings category are buildings or complexes that have been upgraded or extended to carry out the same basic function, eg an office complex or university buildings

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Office Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Call centres
Offices

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Production, Energy and Logistics category include, but are not limited to:

Factories
Power stations
Pumping stations
Recycling centres
Refuse/sewage treatment centres
Warehouse/distribution/agricultural
Wineries

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered in to the Religion Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Cathedrals
Churches
Monasteries/retreats
Mosques
Synagogues
Temples

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the School Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Nursery/infant schools
Primary schools
Secondary schools
Special needs facilities

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the Shopping Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Department stores
Food markets
Shopping centres
Shops

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the Sport Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Fitness centres/gymnasiums
Golf courses/clubs
Ski facilities
Sports halls
Stadiums
Swimming pools

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All projects in completed building categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

Projects that can be entered into the Transport Completed Buildings category include, but are not limited to:

Airports
Bridges
Bus and coach stations
Car parks
Cycle facilities Railway stations/underground stations

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LANDSCAPE 

All projects in the Landscape categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

This category is for landscape projects with architecture/infrastructure (integrated projects with a significant landscape component)

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All projects in the Landscape categories must be completed between 1 January 2022 and 1 June 2023.

This category is for gardens, parks and ecological/ environmental landscape projects.

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FUTURE PROJECTS 

Projects that can be entered in to the Civic Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Ambulance/fire stations
Cemeteries
Community centres
Consulates and embassies
Law courts
Parliamentary buildings
Prisons/police stations
Town halls

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The Future Projects Commerical mixed-use category is open to any submissions for buildings that have multiple uses.
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The Future Projects Competition category is open to any submissions for architectural competitions.

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Projects that can be entered in to the Culture Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Cinemas
Concert halls
Galleries
Libraries
Museums
Performance spaces
Theatres

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Projects that can be entered in to the Education Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Nursery/infant schools
Primary schools
Secondary schools
Special needs facilities

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Projects that can be entered in to the Experimental Future Projects are conceptual projects or proposals that challenge conventional thinking.
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Projects that can be entered in to the Health Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Doctors' and dentists' surgeries
Hospitals
Nursing homes

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Projects that can be entered in to the House Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Conversions
Private houses

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Projects that can be entered in to the Infrastructure Future Project category include, but are not limited to:

Bridges
Airports
Stations
Transport

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Projects that can be entered in to the Leisure-led Development Future Projects category include, but are not limited to:

Bars
Department stores
Fitness centres/gymnasiums
Food markets
Golf courses/clubs
Hotels
Restaurants
Shopping centresShops
Ski facilities
Spas
Sports halls
Stadiums
Swimming pools
Theme parks

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Future Projects - Masterplanning

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Projects that can be entered in to the Office Future Projects category include, but are not limited to:

Call centres
Offices

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Projects that can be entered in to the Residential Future Projects category include, but are not limited to:

Mixed complexes
Private housing
Public housing

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