World Architecture Festival (WAF) brings together the global architectural community to celebrate and share. You'll discover groundbreaking ideas from visionary designers, cutting-edge solutions from innovative practices, and inspiration from engaging keynote talks. Get ready for three days of unparalleled global networking, world-class learning, and the unique opportunity to witness the world's largest live-judged architecture awards.
Congratulations to all 2025 finalists!
The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived! We're thrilled to unveil the WAF 2025 shortlist, featuring over 460 incredible projects.
This year's shortlist is a diverse collection, showcasing 235 completed buildings, 157 future projects, and 64 interior designs. It's a true global showcase, with entries from renowned firms including Bjarke Ingels Group, Foster + Partners, Studio Gang, Grimshaw, Nikken Sekkei, Mario Cucinella Architects, and Perkins&Will, competing alongside innovative work from exciting emerging practices.
Geographically, American practices are the most highly represented on the shortlist, with strong showings also from China, the UK, Australia, India, Canada, Singapore, the UAE, Turkey, and Japan.
All finalists will go on to present their projects in live-judging sessions at WAF Miami this November. Don't miss out on this inspiring event – book your ticket today and join us to celebrate architectural excellence!
Join us in Miami!
WAF will be hosted at the Miami Beach Convention Center from 12 - 14 November 2025. Situated in the heart of South Beach and the iconic Art Deco District.
What's on
WAF is the only global architecture festival that combines a unique live-judged awards programme, seminars, a product exhibition and networking events. Discover what's on during WAF Miami!
Book tickets
Several ticket packages are available, including our popular accommodation options. Explore the tickets and book yours today -the discounted early bird rate ends on 14 June.
This year WAF will be taking place in the USA for the first time ever!
We're thrilled to announce WAF's inaugural US event! The decision to host WAF in the US reflects our commitment to making our awards programme truly global, as well as recognising the huge influence North American architecture has on the world.
WAF will be hosted at the Miami Beach Convention Center from 12 - 14 November 2025. Situated in the heart of South Beach and close to the Art Deco Historic District, it is the perfect place for architects and designers to come together to compete, network and celebrate.
Other WAF Competitions
40 Under 40 North America
World Architecture Festival and The Architect’s Newspaper have partnered to launch 40 Under 40 North America, highlighting 40 outstanding young architects from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Submissions are now open until July.
Architecture Book of the Year Award
Publishers are invited to submit entries to the Architecture Book of the Year Award programme.
Submissions are now open for entries until Monday 12 August.
The Architecture Drawing Prize
Curated by WAF, Make Architects and Sir John Soane’s Museum, TADP celebrates the importance of drawing as a tool in capturing architectural ideas.
Entries for the 2025 Prize are now open until 12 September 2025.
Student Charrette
Supported by Broadway Malyan
WAF's global student design charrette is an integral part of the Festival. Student teams were invited to submit proposals and the shortlist will be revealed soon. Entries now closed for 2025.The WAF Awards
What are the WAF Awards?
WAF is the only architectural awards programme where all finalists present their projects LIVE to a panel of judges and an audience of peers at the festival in Miami. This distinctive peer-to-peer judging experience enables participants and attendees to explore and exchange the most groundbreaking architectural innovations from around the world!
The 2025 Judges
Each year at WAF your submissions are scrutinised LIVE at the festival by an expert panel and the world's most groundbreaking architectural and design achievements are recognised.
Discover the world's best architecture and interiors
Entries are closed, and the shortlist will be revelaed in July. Attend WAF Miami to see hundreds of the world's most innovative projects, presented by the architects and designers themselves. Book your ticket now.
WAF Interiors
What is WAF Interiors?
Formerly known as Inside, WAF Interiors is the sister awards programme of WAF and celebrates the finest examples of global interior design with 11 dedicated categories open for entry. Finalists will be revealed in July and go on to present LIVE at the festival in Miami to panels of expert judges. Category winners will go on to compete for the prestigious title of World Interior of the Year.
WAF Interiors keynote talks
The main stage will host a series of interiors focused talks through the three days of the festival. Learn more about what's on at WAF Miami.
2024 Winners
The 2024 World Interior of the Year winner was Pang Mei Noodle Bar LFS by Office AIO, the Judges described the project as 'an essay in clever design applied to a successful noodle bar business. A veritable machine for dining that ticks all the boxes – for its customers, its staff and its owners' View all of the winners here .
WAFX Awards
What is WAFX?
Launched in WAF’s 10th year, WAFX celebrates international proposals which embrace cutting-edge design addressing major world issues. Ranging from tackling the climate emergency to building community resilience.
How to enter
All WAFX winners are chosen from the WAF Future Projects shortlist with no additional cost or material needed from the entrant. Winners will go on to present their project live at WAF in Miami with an overall WAFX winner announced at the Gala Dinner.
2024 winners
The winning projects for each of the 2024 categories have been revealed, they all presented their projects live on the Festival Hall Stage at the festival, and the overall WAFX winner was revealed at the Gala Dinner.
Special Prizes
Recognising excellence
Alongside the WAF award categories are a host of special prizes awarded to projects from the main shortlist. Entrants do not have to pay any additional fees to be considered for the prizes.
The 2025 special prizes
Best Use of Natural Light, supported by VELUX, The Sustainability Prize supported by ROCKWOOL, Best use of Stone Supported by Turkish Stones, Best Use of Colour Prize, Best use of Timber and Small Project of the Year are this year's special prizes. The finalists will be revelaed in August!
2024 Winners
The 2024 World Building of the Year winner was Darlington Public School by fjcstudio.
Judges commented: ‘The architect of the winning project explored and extended the formal programme of the client, to include the views and experience of the local community and a variety of users. This generated a reading of the history of place, culture and time. This result is poetic, a building in which topography and landscape, inside and outside, form and materials, flow seamlessly in an unexpectedly delightful way. It is also an inspirational proposition about the acknowledgement and reconciliation of historic difference – a pointer to brighter, better futures for all.’
Click here to see all of the 2024 winners in the online brochure.
Films
Hear from previous winners and keynote speakers by watching WAF’s latest films. Sign up and subscribe for the latest media.
WAF 2024 Photos
Take a look at the photos from last year's event in Singapore!
2024 Shortlist Photo Gallery
If you had your photo taken by our famous shortlist wall at WAF 2024 in Singapore then you can download your image here!
World Buildings Directory
The World Buildings Directory is the only place to view projects entered into past and present WAF awards. The site includes some of the most innovative and ground-breaking designs in the world.
Entry FAQs
Need help with your entry? You may be able to find the answers to your questions in our handy entry FAQs.
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