Muyiwa Oki celebrates the wide range of socially and environmentally responsible design shown by winners of the RIBA’s International Awards for Excellence
Supporting and working with architects and practices around the world to promote excellence in architecture is central to the RIBA’s purpose. In 2015, we established the RIBA International Awards to celebrate projects across the globe that demonstrate visionary thinking, originality, excellence of execution, and, above all, make a distinct contribution to their users, surrounding environment and communities.
In June, we proudly revealed 22 winners of the RIBA International Awards for Excellence. Representing 14 countries from Australia to China, Mexico to Greece, the projects demonstrate a significant cultural shift in the way that architecture is designed and built for current and future generations.
Underlying themes from this year’s winners show that responding to global challenges – such as the climate crisis and the wellbeing of humankind – is top of the agenda for architects around the world. A number of projects responded directly to the need for climate resilience and connection to nature. In particular, Bundanon Art Museum and Bridge in Illaroo, Australia, by Kerstin Thompson Architects incorporates dedicated flood infrastructure to ensure resilience to seasonal events, and Nakshabid Architects’ Green Field Factory in Rangpur, Bangladesh, is designed to support its surrounding eco-system within the monsoon climatic zone.
The creative reinvention and extension of existing architecture is also prominent throughout the winning schemes. David Chipperfield Architects and CALQ have transformed a previously introverted building complex into an open and accessible urban campus at Morland Mixité Capitale in Paris, France; and Caruso St John Architects has brought Veemgebouw, an industrial building originally designed for storage, into public use in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Going beyond the physical presence of the built environment, Punchbowl Mosque in Sydney, Australia, by Angelo Candalepas and Associates, and Jateen Lad’s Sharanam Centre for Rural Development near Pondicherry, India, showcase the community benefits of creating welcoming public space for supporting wellness.
Each of the 22 projects creates genuine and meaningful change, contributing to its local area and showing a stimulating response to the RIBA’s social, environmental and design values. To select these winners, each project was visited in person by a local ambassador appointed by the RIBA, with feedback presented to the Awards Group that ultimately selected the longlist.
One of these projects will win the RIBA International Prize 2024. Following another round of selection, a shortlist will be visited by the Grand Jury, and in November the ultimate recipient of this year’s International Prize will be announced. It is awarded to the world’s most transformative building; one that boldly pushes design boundaries, embraces sustainable technologies and drives meaningful change in the face of social and environmental challenges across the globe.
The RIBA International Awards are now in their fourth iteration as an established part of the RIBA Awards calendar. They recognise and celebrate ambitious and impactful buildings across the world – and I look forward to seeing which of these 22 buildings make the shortlist.
ASIA
EUROPE
AFRICA, NORTH AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA & AUSTRALASIA