The World Architecture Festival (WAF) has announced the six 2021 Prize winners of this year’s festival which takes place virtually from 1-3rd December. Prize winners are selected from across the WAF Awards shortlist of projects that exhibit an outstanding use of Engineering, Colour, Natural Light, Certified Timber and Building Visualisation, plus the best Small Project of the Year Prize.
Majara Residency by ZAV Architects has won Best Use of Colour Prize, a holiday community of 200 brightly coloured domed residences on an Iranian island overlooking the Persian Gulf. The judges commented: “The stunning domes provide an impressive visual treat to an otherwise desolate area.” The Prize celebrates the creative use of colour in architecture, both inside and out.
The Engineering Prize has been won by Nikken Sekkei for Ariake Gymnastics Centre, a 12,000-capacity timber structure building designed for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The judges admired the structural use of timber over a span of 90m, with “elegantly resolved geometry and detailing.” Importantly, the building is also designed for a second life as an exhibition hall.
Maggie’s Leeds by Heatherwick Studio has won the Best Use of Natural Light Prize, supported by VELUX, a UK centre providing support for people affected by cancer. Judges commented: “The biophilic design creates a unique experience that connects with its users.” The Prize places special emphasis on projects that impact on human well-being, performance and joy.
Atelier Sérgio Rebelo is winner of the Visualisation Prize, supported by Lumion, for its presentation of Alto Douro Winery and Hotel, a future project celebrating Port Wine production in Portugal’s Douro Valley. “The video offers an extremely serene visualisation that explores the buildings, their locations and their spaces with highly professional editing and content.” the judges commented.
RTA Studio and Irving Smith Architects have won Best Use of Certified Timber Prize, supported by the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), for Scion Innovation Hub, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata – a workplace located on the edge of the redwood forest in Whakarewarewa Forest Park, New Zealand. The judges noted that the building achieved embodied carbon zero at the time of completion. The Prize celebrates the use of certified timber in innovative, educational and artistic ways within architecture.