Since 2008 the world’s top architects have been judged at the World Architectural Festival, an annual event spotlighting groundbreaking international projects. Each year, architects vie to win honors in one of 31 categories ranging from Best Completed Mixed-Use Structure to Best Proposed Civic Building. Past winners include such renowned firms as Snøhetta , Zaha Hadid Architects , and Bjarke Ingels Group . This year the World Architectural Festival will take place in Berlin from November 16 through 18. Roughly 3,000 architects will gather in the German capital to meet, exchange ideas, and watch the awards presentation. The shortlist of finalists has just been released, and here, we showcase the contenders for the Experimental Future Projects, one of most anticipated categories. The projects from the eight finalists range in location from Poland to China.
Costa Rica Congress Hall in San Jose, Costa Rica, is a futuristic design by Caza Architects that actually pays homage to South America’s past by combining geometry and nature in the manner of tropical modernism. cazarcom
This university building proposed by Desitecture Edudrome was designed to address the rising enrollment at London’s Ravensbourne University. The firm devised a building that can easily be added onto or divided into sections without the need for long and costly renovations.
Osteon Cumulus in WuXi, China, designed by Desitecture. This vertical city, which looks like a floating forest, is meant to create as little of a carbon footprint as possible while housing many residents. desitectureo.uk
Filling Station of the Future in Warsaw, Poland, designed by the firm KAMJZ Architects. The structure of nearly every gas station around the world has remained unchanged since the 1980s. KAMJZ Architects believes it’s time to catch up with the times and revolutionize where our cars recharge. kamjom
Berlin Walls in Berlin, designed by the Swiss-based firm Le Quang Architect, deals with the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. The proposal is an easily constructed home that can be built by citizens and refugees, to help integrate the displaced and familiarize them with their new neighbors. The homes can quickly be dismantled once the refugees find permanent jobs and homes. lequang-architecom
The Emperor’s Dress in Brunico, Italy, by Network of Architecture. Rising 115 feet tall, this wood structure replicates a tower built in the same location at the beginning of the 20th century by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. It was intended to be a place to devise military attacks and defend surrounding land. It was later used as a gathering place for poets and painters, before it was destroyed in World War II. noaetwork/en
The Tree House by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners can be built anywhere in the world. This concept was designed to provide low-cost housing that can be built easily—and taken apart, if need be—while adding a vibrant dynamic to the local skyline. rsh-om
Beach Hut in Singapore, by Spark Architects. These huts designed for the coasts of oceans are made of discarded plastics found among the beaches in Southeast Asia. Each hut includes a solar panel that energizes the LED lights that illuminate the structure at night. The creators hope that beachgoers will enjoy its color while also learning about the harmful effects of ocean pollution. sparkarchitectom
