Opening its doors to over 1,500 visitors is the biggest gathering of the global architectural community—the World Architecture Festival, just a few minutes outside Barcelona city center at the Centre Convencions International Barcelona (CCIB), started yesterday November 4 to 6, 2009. The festival, now in its second year, celebrates the work, concerns and aspirations of international architects. The curators have masterminded the exhibition and seminar program to respond to the common festival umbrella theme “Less Does More,” which in reflection of the current global economic climate will examine the challenges facing architects to produce more value for less cost.
Running alongside the main seminars is one of the world’s largest architectural awards program—the World Architecture Festival Awards. Unlike other award schemes, the WAF Awards give access to something more often reserved for a select few to see shortlisted architects present their schemes live to international judging panels, including the likes of Sir Peter Cook, Kengo Kuma, Renato Benedetti and Will Alsop and delegates, as they compete for the ultimate accolade of World Building of the Year 2009. Rafael Viñoly is chair of the super-jury which will choose the winner from 15 finalists announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the end of the festival this Friday, November 6.
House
Klein Bottle House, Rye, Australia by Mc Bride Charles Ryan, Melbourne, Australia - Previously featured on Bustler
Civic & Community
Emergency Terminal, Zagreb, Croatia by Produkcija 004, Zagreb, Croatia
Culture
Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre by Peter Rich Architects, Johannesburg, South Africa
Holiday
Restaurant Tusen, Ramundberget, Sweden by Murman Arkitekter, Stockholm, Sweden
Shopping
Havaianas Shop, São Paulo by Isay Weinfeld, São Paulo, Brazil
Housing
The Met, Bangkok by WOHA, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Learning
Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur by Morphogenesis, New Delhi, India
New & Old
TKTS Booth / Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square, New York by Choi Ropiha, Manly, Australia & Perkins Eastman, USA & William Fellows/PKSB Architects, USA
Office
Unileverhaus, Hamburg by Behnisch Architekten, Germany
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