Hear from the winners
Building of the Year Winner
It’s been very successful. It’s given me a chance to make contacts from abroad, but it’s not just that, I’ve met incredible people. It’s been a very happy event, very congenial, It’s Barcelona, it’s the weather, it’s been very relaxed, I’ve found it really great.
Peter Rich, Peter Rich Architects, South Africa
Future Project Of The Year Winner
WAF is a great idea, it’s a great organisation that’s putting together people from all over the world. I was really impressed to be here, to be in touch with people from the same profession from every part of the world. Most of the projects are fantastic.
Benedicta Tagliabue, Miralles Tagliabue Embt, Spain
Sports Category Winner
WAF has been fantastic to us because getting shortlisted, being from where we are from made a big splash in the local media because it’s (WAF) is seen as the peak of world architecture, and from looking round the crowd today you can tell it is. There’s many people here I’ve been dying to talk to all week.
The highlight is seeing the range of different products coming out of some of the countries I don’t really associate with fantastic architecture, as well as seeing some of the big stars that have come here. Some of the sessions that are being run here are really relevant to my work, supply chain things, and things you wouldn’t think would be part of the conference.
To be here amongst colleagues showing such superb architecture at every level, having such a wide choice, it’s like being in a candy shop, you wander in and see some beautiful building, then you wander out and see another beautiful building. It’s also the critique of the buildings which has been positive, and really intellectually well based and a benefit to everyone who’s brought it here. To see a thousand people cheering for the winners was fabulous. Fabulous organisation.
Michael Heenan, Allen Jack and Cottier Architects,
Sydney, Australia
Shopping Category Winner
The quality of the event - from its organisation to the composition of the jury - makes WAF a very unique meeting. Being awarded a prize at that competition is, therefore, a major achievement and recognition.
Isay Weinfeld, Architect, Brazil
Interior & Fit Out Of The Year Award
We were really impressed with the feedback from last year so we really wanted to be a part of WAF this year. The sheer number of countries that are represented is a draw, to compete against the world, to see what other countries and what other firms are doing.
Highlight of being here is the student work, it’s very interesting, my colleagues and I are very happy that there was a component geared toward students.
Bruce Davison, Architect, Amanda Levete Architects, UK
Housing Category Winner
I didn’t come last year, we sent someone else from the office, and now that I’ve been here I’ve realised how good it is, because of the camaraderie and to see all the other projects. You’re all together and valuing each others projects. I think it’s seeing all the other final presentations, because you’re getting to the pointy end of the event, and they’re all really good quality projects, we’ll see you next year.
Debbie-Lyn Ryan, Architect, McBride Charles Ryan, Australia
