The World Architecture Festival (WAF) revealed its 2024 shortlist, with 481 projects selected to present live in Singapore later this year. 

WAF is the only awards programme where all finalists present their projects live to a panel of judges at the festival in Singapore. Hosted at the Marina Bay Sands again this year, the event will be held on 6-8 November 2024. 

We bring you a curated list of selected projects from across the continent

that have been shortlisted for these prestigious awards. 

 

Project name: African Urban School 

Architect: Q3 Architects 

Lead architect name: Shadi Abdelsalam 

Architect country: United Arab Emirates 

Client: Enko Education 

Project city: Bamako, Mali 

Category: WAF Future Project: Education 

Image credits: Q3 Architects 

The Mali school was an innovative beacon, blending biophilic design with community focus. Despite its modest land, its multi-level structure maximised space, merging functionality with beauty. Beyond a mere building, it inspired creativity, collaboration and connection.  

Its design and community ethos distinguished it, showcasing the possibilities of people-centric, sustainable education. Teachers and students collaborated on a curriculum emphasising real-world problem solving, supported by partnerships with local organisations. Multi-level playgrounds, crafted with sustainable materials, offered spaces for exploration and learning, featuring natural structures and outdoor classrooms. 

Project name: University of the Witwatersrand Flower Hall Test and Examination Centre 

Architect: Savage + Dodd Architects  

Lead architect name: Heather Dodd 

Architect country: South Africa 

Project city: Johannesburg, South Africa 

Category: WAF Completed Buildings: Creative Reuse 

Image credits: Graeme Wyllie 

The Flower Hall was originally designed to house the flower displays of the Wits Agricultural Society at the annual Rand Easter Show.  

In terms of adaptive reuse, the design had to put in place the elements and services that would make a functional exam venue and be flexible to accommodate the future envisaged use of the building. Essentially, a new structure was built within the envelope of the building.  

It is acknowledged that the life of buildings is extended by changing and adapting them to other contemporary uses. The significance of the building is maintained through minimising the impact of change on the physical fabric of the building through balancing heritage requirements and the requirements of a contemporary working environment. 

Project name: Green School South Africa 

Architect: GASS Architecture Studios 

Lead architects’ names: Theuna Stoltz and Chris Bakker 

Architect country: South Africa 

Project city: Paarl, South Africa 

Category: WAF Completed Buildings: School 

WAF prize: The Sustainability Prize shortlist 

Image credits: Daniela Zondagh Photography 

Green School South Africa is an eight-hectare sustainable schooling campus located in the low-lying Paarl Valley in the Western Cape. The architecture of the individual buildings is defined by organic tectonic shapes originating from the mountains that contain the valley, but also more directly from the Paarl Berg Boulders. 

The individual clusters of buildings are weaved together by landscaping and a series of organic shaped “werf” walls to create a coherent whole, and a world of passageways and spaces for students to discover moments of excitement, wonderment and discovery. 

These organic-shaped stereotomic buildings with large oversailing leaf-like roof structures are all constructed from naturally and locally sourced materials. This multi-layered development, where architecture and landscape coincide, creates enticing and playful spaces where children can engage, explore and learn. 

Project name: Hurghada Grand Mosque 

Architect: Q3 Architects 

Lead architect name: Shadi Abdelsalam 

Architect country: United Arab Emirates 

Project city: Hurghada, Egypt 

Category: WAF Future Project: Experimental 

Starting from the ground up, the mosque’s entrance is a grand and spacious hall, featuring large glass walls that allow natural light to filter in, illuminating the interior.  

The floors are made of polished marble and are meticulously arranged in geometric patterns, while the walls are decorated with intricate calligraphy and modern Islamic art. Moving deeper into the mosque, the traditional mihrab, or prayer niche, is replaced with a sleek and minimalist design.  

The mihrab is a striking and luminous wall, made of translucent glass that is backlit with soft and calming light. The carpet in the prayer hall is a soft and plush material, providing comfort for worshippers during prayer.

 

Project name: Kalahari Dunes 

Architects: ARRCC and SAOTA 

Lead architect name: Jon Case 

Architect country: South Africa 

Project city: Upington, Kalahari Desert, South Africa 

Category: WAF Future Project: Leisure Led Development 

Image credits: ARRCC 

Kalahari Dunes, previously farmland, is being transformed into a wildlife sanctuary. It will function as a private guest lodge and part-time home for its owner.  

Special care was taken to identify an appropriate dune for the placing of the building to enjoy views of the endless rolling chains of red sand dunes and valleys of dry golden grass. Guest suites, arranged in three groups of two cottages, are arranged along the sand dune “chain”. The base of the building is set in and of the earth and is rendered with the red sand of the site. The large chunky roofs serve to catch rain, which is stored.  

The project is totally off the grid and self-sufficient. Site sand is used in the construction and finishing, and passive solar devices and shading of raw steel control sun and heat gain.  

Project name: Meru 

Architect: SAOTA 

Lead architect name: Phillippe Fouché 

Architect country: South Africa 

Project city: Mombasa, Kenya 

Category: WAF Future Project: House 

Image credits: SAOTA 

The Meru oak is a rare tree species found only in significant parts of Kenya, including a strong presence on site. This, together with the client’s desire to pay homage to her traditional upbringing, led to a path of reinterpreting the fascinating Swahili tribal lifestyle.  

Located on the midland outskirts of Mombasa, the house draws strong reference to the traditional built environment of the “kraal”. A reinterpretation of the inner kraal is a protected outdoor courtyard, which is critical in the passive cooling approach to the building. The living spaces are carefully arranged around the central courtyard, with outstretched views over the surrounding bushveld to help protect the central courtyard. 

The distinct colour of the building is derived from the pigmentation found in clay, not only for its considered aesthetic but also for appropriate thermal qualities. 

 

Project name: #Oxford Hive 

Architect: Boogertman + Partners 

Lead architect name: Dewar van Antwerpen 

Architect country: South Africa  

Project city: Johannesburg, South Africa 

Category: WAF Future Project: Residential 

Image credits: Boogertman + Partners 

 The Hive concept, born out of a design session fuelled by the imaginative use of Lego blocks, marks a novel approach to residential architecture. Its 41 distinct unit typologies seamlessly integrate like pieces of a puzzle. The facade of the building reflects the individual affordability and character of its inhabitants, creating a heterogeneous tapestry of community identity. 

Efficiency was paramount in the design process, leading to a Tetris-inspired exploration that optimised space utilisation and minimised common areas. 

A distinctive “Hive DNA” permeates the design philosophy, elevating the project from a mere high-rise apartment building to a unique brand of its own. The #Oxford Hive serves as a precedent for future Hives, offering prospective investors the opportunity to buy into a brand that prioritises innovation, community and individuality. 

Project name: Upper Albert 

Architect: SAOTA 

Lead architect name: Philip Olmesdahl 

Architect country: South Africa 

Project city: Cape Town, South Africa 

Category: WAF Completed Buildings: Housing 

Image credits: Adam Letch 

A large, steep corner plot at the upper edge of the Cape Town city centre was subdivided, and the resulting properties were redeveloped to create a five-bedroom family home on the upper two levels, with two residential apartment units below. 

The building is conceived as a two-storey “podium” for the apartments, above which the family home is expressed as a landscaped pavilion. Above the podium, the building is wrapped in precast pigmented concrete screens. These limit direct solar heat gain from the western sun and provide privacy from the street, while still permitting views of the prominent mountain behind the property. 

The form and colouration of the screens were inspired by the terracotta breeze-block walls of the previous house on the property, which were also reused on the facade. 

 

Full acknowledgement and thanks go to https://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/ for the information in this editorial.