The World Architecture Festival WAFX Award celebrates international proposals that embrace “cutting-edge design approaches to address major world issues” ranging from the climate emergency to community resilience.
Twenty exemplary future projects addressing societal and environmental challenges have been selected for the WAFX shortlist, one of which has been designed by Australian practices on local soil.
The North East Link by Warren and Mahoney, BKK Architects and Taylor Cullity Lethlean is a concept for a 25-kilometre corridor on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country that uses First Nations knowledge to minimize impact and assist ecological restoration.
It is the world’s first road project to use the award-winning International Indigenous Design Charter principles, and adopts three Wurundjeri pillars to guide the design: Connection to Country, Caring for Country and Connecting People.
As a major infrastructure project, the North East Link involves smart engineering, architecture, landscaping and urban design, as well as extensive collaboration with First Nations consultants.
The North East Link has been named in the shortlist for the World Architecture Festival WAFX Award.
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Warren and Mahoney, BKK Architects, and Taylor Cullity Lethlean
“This is the story of how a major infrastructure project could heal a city’s nature and biodiversity,” the design team said. “It may also help heal Australia’s relationship with our First Nations people.”
Other shortlisted projects include a cultural venue co-designed with an indigenous prairie community in Canada, a graduation hall in Johannesburg and a mega arena complex in Bristol.
WAF program director Paul Finch said that with today’s momentous environmental and social challenges, we require brave commitments to fresh and experimental ways of thinking.
“These future projects show that architects across the world are responding to complex problems in imaginative ways — with the bonus of some design delight,” said Finch.
WAF returns this year as an in-person event held in Lisbon from 30 November to 2 December 2022. The overall winner will be announced live during the festival, alongside other accolades including World Building of the Year, Landscape of the Year, Future Project of the Year and Interior of the Year.
More than 40 Australian projects have been named in the shortlist for the 2022 World Architecture Festival Awards.
Click here to view the full shortlist for this year’s WAFX projects.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
