Berlin to host 2016 World Architecture Festival; entries open for WAF Awards

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The world’s largest annual international architecture event, the World Architecture Festival will return to its European roots this year. The 2016 World Architecture Festival will be held at the Arena Berlin, Germany from 16-18 November. Now in its ninth edition, the Festival returns to Europe after four years in Singapore.

To be housed in Franz Ahrens’ historic former bus depot, now known as Arena Berlin, the World Architecture Festival is co-located with INSIDE World Festival of Interiors. The two events are expected to bring more than 2,000 architects and designers to the city for three days of conference programmes, awards, exhibitions and fringe events.

WAF organisers say the German capital provides the perfect cultural backdrop for the world’s largest annual celebration of architecture and that the Festival will be taking advantage of this architecturally rich location by expanding its fringe programme, with tours and events planned across the city.

WAF programme director Paul Finch said they were delighted to be moving to Berlin for the 2016 Festival after four happy years in Singapore. Describing Berlin as a city with an extraordinary history, and one which has been a breeding ground for architectural ideas, both historical and contemporary, he said they looked forward to staging their first Festival in Europe since 2011.

Entries open for 2016 WAF Awards

The WAF Awards, considered the ‘Oscars of architecture’, celebrate global architectural excellence across completed buildings, future projects and landscape projects. Entries for the 2016 edition are now open, ahead of the submission deadline on 19th May. Attracting entries from over 60 countries, the architecture awards program will see shortlisted projects compete across 30 categories.

Architects David Chipperfield, Principal, David Chipperfield Architects; Luisa Hutton, Principal, Sauerbruch Hutton; and Professor Frédéric Migayrou, Chair of The Bartlett School of Architecture are part of the esteemed jury panel that will also decide on the Festival’s ultimate prize – The World Building of the Year. David Chipperfield will additionally deliver a keynote speech, responding to the Festival’s theme ‘Housing for everyone’.

WAF and INSIDE are organised by EMAP, publishers of The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal.

Image: Arena Berlin (Credit: Markus Nass)