The 18th edition of the World Architecture Festival (WAF) concluded in Miami with a dazzling Gala Dinner at the Miami Beach Convention Center, crowning the year’s most outstanding architectural achievements. The top honors, World Building of the Year and World Interior of the Year, were awarded, along with a suite of prestigious special prizes.
Grand Winners of the World Architecture Festival 2025
World Building of the Year: The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas, designed by Fernando Menis, La Laguna, Spain
This project, born out of community need, has become a beacon for urban renewal in a marginalized neighborhood. It comprises a church, a community center, and a public square built in phases over 16 years, shaped by irregular funding flows. The jury praised its role as a gathering space that reconnects a fragmented built environment.
World Interior of the Year: FRACTAL CHAPEL by INNOCAD architecture, located in a state hospital in Graz, Austria
This serene chapel, commissioned by the Protestant Church, is designed based on research from neuroscience and environmental psychology. Its biophilic design and fractal patterns generated via a bespoke computer program in collaboration with scientists aim to foster calm, reduce stress, and support well-being for patients, staff, and visitors.
Landscape of the Year: Embracing Flood: Xinjiang River Ecological Corridor by Turenscape in China
The Xinjiang River Ecological Corridor in Shangrao City breathes new life into a 102-hectare floodplain, turning it into an active ecological and public realm. Guided by sponge city strategies, the project boosts flood resilience, restores indigenous habitats, and ensures the site remains accessible throughout the year. Instead of blocking seasonal floods, the design works with them, treating water as a shifting natural element that enriches biodiversity and strengthens urban resilience.
Future Project of the Year: Gelephu International Airport by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group in Gelephu, Bhutan.
Gelephu International Airport, Bhutan’s second international gateway, is taking shape near the Bhutan-India border and the Paitha River, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Scheduled to open in 2029, it will begin with 123 daily flights and is expected to handle 5.5 million passengers annually by 2065. Rooted in Bhutanese culture and its emphasis on well-being, the airport incorporates regional crafts, abundant natural light, a triple-height entrance, skylights, and expansive windows, while offering indoor and outdoor lounges for yoga, gong baths, and meditation to create a mindful travel experience.
Special Prizes
Alongside the main awards, WAF 2025 handed out a host of special prizes, celebrating excellence in specific design qualities. Among the winners:
American Beauty Prize (supported by the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust): Isla Intersections Supportive Housing & Paseo by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects, Los Angeles, USA.
Best Use of Color: Alibaba Xixi Tech Campus Landscape by ASPECT Studios, Hangzhou, China.
Best Use of Natural Light (supported by VELUX): Redhill Early Learning Center by Hubo Studio, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Best Use of Stone (supported by Turkish Stones): Dialogue with Nature—Commune Store by Atelier Global Ltd, Fujian, China.
Best Use of Timber: Quinta de Adorigo Winery by Atelier Sergio Rebelo, Douro Valley, Portugal.
Small Project of the Year: The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas (same project as World Building of the Year) by Fernando Menis.
Student Charrette Prize (supported by Broadway Malyan): SPONGE OF THE KEYS by the University of Manitoba.
Sustainability Prize (supported by ROCKWOOL): 1265 Borregas by MGA | Michael Green Architecture, SERA Architects, Sunnyvale, USA.
GROHE Water Prize: ‘waterspaces’ by Rizoma del Agua, Chimalhuacán, Mexico City.
WAFX Award (WAF Future Project: Experimental): Regenerative Tree by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD
This year’s World Architecture Festival underscores architecture’s evolving role in social healing, sustainability, and community building. The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre stands as a powerful symbol of regenerative design, addressing pressing urban inequalities. Meanwhile, the FRACTAL CHAPEL demonstrates how deeply informed design rooted in neuroscience and nature can foster emotional well-being in institutional contexts.
Moreover, the special prizes highlight a broad commitment in the architectural community to celebrate form, color, light, texture, material sensitivity, and sustainability.
World Architecture Festival 2025’s success reaffirms its standing as one of the world’s premier architecture platforms, a live, peer-judged celebration where design innovation meets social purpose.
