The winning projects for each of the 2024 categories of the World Architecture Festival (WAF) have been revealed in Singapore.  

WAF has been bringing together the global architecture community for 16 years. Each year the event sees thousands of architects, designers and suppliers come together. Finalists for the awards all presented their projects live in crit rooms in front of a panel of expert judges and an audience of their peers at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and the winners were announced during the event. 

World Building of the Year 2024, supported by GROHE 

The Darlington Public School in Sydney, Australia, is the WAF 2024 Building of the Year. Image credit: Brett Boardman

The Darlington Public School, designed by lead architect Elizabeth Carpenter of fjcstudio, took the top honours at WAF 2024.  

A primary school represents the foundation of a child’s first experience of the world of formal learning. Thus, the design concepts for Darlington needed to embody the core values of the school.  

Darlington is a community school with strong connections to Aboriginal people. The design seamlessly connects the school to its surroundings, offering glimpses of the inner courtyard from the main entrance, promoting a sense of privacy and community for the children.  

The screen that protects the outdoor learning terraces is safe and secure. It provides a beautiful dappled light reminiscent of the light passing through the leaves of the casuarina – endemic to the area of Blackwattle Creek. 

As a true community school, it was important that the publicly accessible functions of the community hall, the COLA, and the library were located so that they became an integrated part of the surrounding urban landscape. Darlington is situated between the large scale of the University of Sydney and the finer grain of the Darlington terraces. 

The masterplan divided the construction into two stages, allowing continuous school operation and eliminating relocation costs. The material selection focussed on cost-effectiveness, durability and minimised operational expenses.  

Future Project of the Year 2024 

The WAF 2024 Future Project of the Year is Küçükçekmece Djemevi, designed for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey. Image credits: Ivabox, EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture

The winning future project, Küçükçekmece Djemevi, was designed by lead architect Emre Arolat of EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture, for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey. 

This project arose from a context where policies are driven by identities. Dividing the populace and alienating distinct clusters are the easiest ways for oppressive regimes to control physical spaces in the city. The Küçükçekmece Djemevi considers the sociological atmosphere created by the pressure of such marginalisation. 

Addressing the constantly redefined identity issue of Alevism and the community’s need for a legitimate space, both oral and written documents belonging to this culture were examined. The patterns of “djem” (gathering, assembling) were traced, and the main settlement decisions were made in accordance with the requirements of this ritual.  

Observing the periodic usage patterns revealed a significant need for a high-quality recreation area. Made with the principle of spatial fluidity in mind, courtyards were created that accommodate different usage patterns. These were connected both visually and physically with the park located on the upper level.  

World Interior of the Year 2024 

The WAF World Interior of the Year 2024 went to the Pang Mei Noodle Bar LFS in Beijing, China. Image credit: Wen Studio

Situated in Beijing, China, the Pang Mei Noodle Bar LFS by New Zealand firm, Office AIO, with lead architect, Tim Kwan, is the 2024 winning interior. 

Pang Mei Noodle Bar is the third collaboration between Office AIO and the client. “Pang Mei” translates to “chubby girl”, reflecting that the restaurant has mastered serving distinctive Sichuan dishes in Beijing.  

To cater for the larger floor area, the client is experimenting with a hybrid operation, varying service models and menus at different hours. Office AIO devises a system of spatial programming that changes throughout the day.  

Interior space was strategically sectioned to facilitate different operational needs. The design carves out a corridor along the wide facade. A linear zone for grab-and-go orders and double-sided window seats take advantage of the arterial walkway and exposure to the courtyard.  

A roller shutter is closed during off-peak hours for quick counter service, but open during peak hours to expand the restaurant for full table service. Long tables protrude beyond the building’s envelope, with seating on both sides that extend the social scenes onto the plaza.  

New terrazzo patios with soft corners reach out into the courtyard. The stepping and the canopy frame the long and dynamic scenes of eaters enjoying their food and company.  

Landscape of the Year 2024 

Regeneration Of Vitality, Shenzhen Guanlan Riverside Plaza, took the WAF Landscape of the Year 2024 award home to Shenzhen, China. Image credit: LAY-OUT Planning Consultants Co. Ltd

Regeneration Of Vitality, Shenzhen Guanlan Riverside Plaza, by LAY-OUT Planning Consultants, with lead architect Wei wei, took the landscape award home to China.  

The Shenzhen Guanlan Riverside Plaza in Shenzhen serves as a typical example of rapid urbanisation. As a number of “urbanised” plazas, characterised by grand axes, undulating platforms and boring facilities, it lacked consideration for people. 

Based on the concept of a “park-like plaza”, this renovation project aims to meet the diverse activity needs of the city and its citizens. Based on the site’s characteristics, the entire plaza has been divided into three distinct activity areas:  

• Ecological garden: The original large trees on the site were retained and 200 native plants have been planted to create a natural experience in the city. 
• Urban stage: Serving as a performance space for large-scale urban events, the central area of the plaza features a flexible multifunctional fountain and lawn. It also serves as an emergency urban shelter.  
• Tree-lined square: Enclosed by rows of trees, this area provides space for activities for all ages. Taking into consideration the hot climate in southern China, evergreen trees provide shade year-round and alleviate the urban heat island effect.  

Interested in participating at the next WAF?  

WAF 2025 will take place in Miami on 12-14 November. 

Full acknowledgement and thanks to https://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/ for the information in this article. To read more about the WAF 2024 projects, visit https://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/.