WAF Overview
The World Architecture Festival was a matchless occasion - one I hope will continue and prosper - the architectural community needs it.
Robert AM Stern
WAF is the only annual international architectural event to reward excellence in a fully interactive, inclusive live format.
Through its unique entry and judging process and its cutting edge seminar and exhibition content, it is simultaneously a celebration of great architecture and an inspirational intellectual challenge to a major world profession. Put simply, it is architectural excellence, live.
Why should I attend WAF?
- FESTIVAL GALLERY - contemplate the breadth of international architectural excellence in the Gallery where all entries are exhibited together - last year saw entries from 63 different countries and over 2000 visitors.
- KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS - get inspired by the world's greatest, which last year included Lord Norman Foster, talking about the issues facing architects today.
- THEMATIC EXHIBITION - this year's theme is 'Less Does More' and feeds into the seminar programme and will show how cleverly utilised resources can create opportunities for living, working, learning and playing that would not otherwise exist.
- AWARDS CEREMONY - the festival finishes on Friday evening with a glittering awards ceremony, celebrating the winners of each category, the student competition and the ultimate awards in their section.
- STUDENT COMPETITION - watch and support architectural schools compete for the Edaw Aecom URBAN SOS prize.
- PRODUCT SHOWCASES - architects love great products and this area of WAF will help you find the latest, innovative products for your next project.
- SITDOWN - look and touch at this exhibition of high-end furniture for those particularly interested in interiors and fit out - this also doubles as a great networking area!
- MEDIA PARTNERS - from over 60 countries, giving away their magazines for you to take away!
- BARCELONA - why not hop on a tour around the city that fuses stunning modern architecture with some of world's most classical buildings and structures? Information on accommodation and travel can be found at our one-stop-shop website.
- ARCHITECTS - over 2000 of them! Meet, share, collaborate, make friends and stay in touch using our online portals - Festival Connect, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Who will I meet at WAF?
WAF is unique, and unlike many construction events focuses solely on the needs and tastes of architects. Over 75% of the audience are architects and in 2008, they descended from over 73 countries worldwide. The other 25% of the audience consist of property developers and suppliers to the industry.
Tell me, what can I expect this November?
Last year attendees to the event got all this:
- Entry to the exhibition which featured all 722 entries
- Opportunity to watch and listen to the shortlisted candidates as they explained the challenges they faced in creating their vision
- Insights from the expert panel of judges discussing the entries
- Face to face time with their international architectural peers
- Contemplation time over the popular thematic ‘Height’ exhibition
- World-class seminar programme from the likes of Norman Foster and Robert Stern
- Upbeat, celebration of excellence in the international architectural arena
