Architecture on a global stage - The World Architecture Festival

The World Architecture Festival (WAF) is one of the few award platforms that allows the architect to present their scheme and be “critted” by a panel of judges in front of an audience. Having been both a presenter and a judge over the years, I can say with certainty that it is a much fairer and more generous method of awarding excellence than the anonymous judging that is the norm.

From a judge’s perspective live presentations are much more engaging and enlightening, the architect has ten minutes to describe the project, after which the three judges have eight minutes to ask questions that clarify and probe the detail of the design and the finished scheme. Judging competitions anonymously usually involves looking at foamboard panels or flicking through power points. Inevitably text is often scan-read and first impressions seem to count for a lot. It takes a skilled judge to dig out the quirky schemes that may have potential. In contrast, the WAF judging format creates a relationship with the architect, and in a good presentation the nuances of the design come across more clearly, as the narrative is verbal rather than written, (a real benefit for those that do not have English as a first language).

From the point of view of a shortlisted architect, you have the opportunity to elaborate on the background and bring life to the project. The judges usually come from very different countries and backgrounds, and they consequently have a particular way of questioning which is often a reflection of their practice or skills. Ten minutes goes by in a flash, and there are of course teams that run out of time, so rehearsals are essential, and brevity pays dividends. It is of course a slight disadvantage if the presenter needs a translator, but that in itself reduces waffle and crystalises the presentation.

The most skilled presenters will attract a large audience, and as a judge I have learned a lot from some of the many talented international architects I have seen over the years.

Our project, Newson’s Yard, won the retail category this year, it is only the second time that one of our projects has achieved this. It was a tough category of ten to twelve completed projects from places as far apart as Finland to New Zealand. As a category winner we then had to re-present the following day on the main hall stage for World Building of the Year. Clearly our project would never be considered that, it is the nature of WAF that disparate schemes come up against each other, and the Super Jury has the unenviable task of picking a winner. I was impressed by the questions which were insightful and pertinent.

Most importantly, WAF puts architects in front of their global peers, it generates debate and discussion, and it opens our eyes and minds to ideas that we would not normally discover in our home countries.