Seven Canadian projects have been shortlisted for the 2016 World Architecture Festival (WAF) awards – the world’s biggest architectural awards program. All types and sizes of architectural projects are represented on the 343-strong shortlist, with entries ranging from private homes, shops and schools to large commercial developments and ambitious landscape projects.
The Canadian finalists include:
- KPMB Architects | HCMA Architecture + Design Architects in joint venture, Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Core Architects, 12 Degrees, Toronto, Canada
- HCMA Architecture + Design, Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, Surrey, Canada
- Kanva Paroi Vivante: Biodôme Natural Science Museum, Montreal, Canada
- Cannondesign + Neuf architect(e)s, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- 5468796 Architecture, Arthur Residence, Regina, Canada
- Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture, Aga Khan Park, Toronto, Canada
Now in its ninth year, WAF has received a record number of award entries for November’s annual event. The largest rise in year-on-year entries came from the UK and Germany. UK-based architects have the highest number of projects on the shortlist, followed by their peers from the robust economies of Turkey and Australia respectively. The truly international shortlist extends to include architects from 42 different nations with projects based across 58 countries.
Other international practices shortlisted this year include: Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects and Rogers Stirk Harbour (UK); Robert A.M. Stern, Studio Gang and KPF (USA); Ingenhoven Architects (Germany); Coop Himmelb(l)au (Austria); Nikken Sekkei (Japan); Turenscape (China); and Studio Milou (France). Previous category winners also shortlisted this year include Sanjay Puri Architects (India); WOW Architects (Singapore); Nabil Gholam Architects (Lebanon); Neri & Hu Design and Research Office (China); Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (UK); Cox Rayner and Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (Australia); and BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group (Denmark). They are joined by many smaller practices unknown outside their own countries that have seized the opportunity to gain global recognition at this year’s event.
“This is a very exciting year for us, with a record entry and a very high overall standard. Our move to Berlin, after four successful years in Singapore, has not deterred Asian and Australasian practices from entering the awards, and we have seen big increases from Europe and North America,” said Paul Finch, programme director of the World Architecture Festival.
Entries will be evaluated by an international panel of judges at the World Architecture Festival in Berlin from November 16-18, 2016. This year’s judges includes Ole Scheeren, architect of The Interlace, the 2015 World Building of the Year, Louisa Hutton of Sauerbruch Hutton, Christoph Ingenhoven of Ingenhoven Architects and David Chipperfield of David Chipperfield Architects.
In addition to the awards, WAF includes a conference programme based around the Festival’s 2016 theme ‘Housing for Everyone,’ which will debate the growing understanding of how demographics and global urbanization are forcing change in the way we think about housing. With imperatives to create shelter at one end of the spectrum, and sufficiency for occupation and investment at the other, the programme will examine the significant contribution that architects can make.
WAF and its co-located sister event INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, will welcome more than 2,000 of the world’s leading architects and designers to the city for three days of conference programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events. Following four successful years in Singapore, the Festival returns to its European roots and will be housed in Franz Ahrens’ historic former bus depot, now known as Arena Berlin.
