Architectural Excellence
The annual Architizer A+Awards recognize the world’s best architecture and the important role it plays in improving our built environments and everyday living.
Perhaps nothing in our built world has more impact upon our physical environment than architecture. It shapes how we live and work, how we see our urban spaces and how our built environment will be shaped for generations to come. What we are building today may have been impossible to envision even two decades ago, testament to the excellence and creative brilliance that exists in today’s architectural community.
That brilliance is what Architizer, the world’s leading online platform for architecture, has been celebrating for 11 years with its annual Architizer A+Awards, honouring the world’s best architecture. Founded on the premise of democratizing architecture, the A+Awards are the industry’s most influential and international awards program, honouring the best buildings and spaces across the globe.
The Architizer A+Awards are also the world’s largest architectural awards program with a global audience of 400+ million. The program’s mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful architecture and to champion its potential to make a positive impact everyday life.
With the focus on net-zero emissions and lower carbon footprints now making it onto blueprints at the earliest stage, this year’s awards emphasized sustainable design, with 11 new categories focusing on sustainability, recognizing the pivotal role designers have in confronting climate change. The awards honoured the work of 230 architectural firms in 95 countries worldwide.
Whether we discuss it publicly or not, everyone has an opinion about architecture. We can absolutely love that building there or we don’t understand what they were trying to do over there — architecture defines the appearance of our mostly urban environments. After reviewing an unprecedented number of submissions in 119 categories, a star-studded jury selected the world’s most innovative and impactful architecture of the year.
The winners were also chosen by more than 400,000 public votes, a testament to people’s interest in architecture and their enthusiastic celebration of outstanding design created by both renowned industry leaders and emerging talent.
Further evidence that we all have strong opinions about architecture and design can be seen in Architizer’s virtual community of 5+ million. Also home to the largest online community of architects, Architizer’s core mission is to celebrate the world’s best architecture and the talented people that bring it to life. As an online resource for dialogue, discussion, ideas and exchange and powered by continually evolving technologies, Architizer serves architects with the inspiration and information they need to build better buildings, better cities and, as a result, a better world for us all.
“These awards are an opportunity to share meaningful, change-making innovations that enable us to continue to make even better projects for our planet and our community,” said Michael Green, Founder and Principal, MGA/Michael Green Architecture.
The 11th Annual A+Awards Project winners include 130 William by Adjaye Associates in New York City; Bundanon Art Museum & Bridge by Kerstin Thompson Architects in Illaroo, Australia; BEEAH Headquarters by Zaha Hadid Architects in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Shanshui Firewood Garden by Mix Architecture in Yibin, China; and Valley by MVRDV in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The Annual Architizer A+Awards also honour individual architectural firms, with 2023 winners including Olson Kundig of the U.S. for the Jurors’ Choice, Best Large Firm; Blue Temple of Myanmar for the Jurors’ Choice, Best X-Small Firm; Perkins & Will of the U.S. for the Jurors’ Choice, Best Sustainable Firm; MAD Architects of China for the Jurors’ Choice, Best Cultural Firm; and MJMA Architects, headquartered in Toronto, for the Jurors’ Choice, Best Public Projects Firm.
“I was incredibly impressed with the quality of the work this year,” said Amar Al Assam, CEO, Dewan Architects + Engineers and an A+Awards juror. “The level of creativity, innovation and attention to detail demonstrated were truly inspiring.”
The celebrations will continue this fall when, in collaboration with Material Bank, Architizer will celebrate the 2023 winners at a gala reception to be held at the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris. The event will be staged to coincide with Paris+ par Art Basel, which gathers more than 600 luminaries from the worlds of architecture, art and design.
“The Architizer A+Awards are a testament to the incredible architects and designers who push boundaries, refine possibilities and create spaces that leave a lasting impression,” says Adam Sandow, founder & CEO of Material Bank. “The A+Awards Gala is a moment to celebrate and champion great architecture and recognize the transformational role that the built environment plays in our lives.”
Architizer pays further tribute to the winners with its annual anthology, Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture. Together with official partners the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, AIA New York, Aesthetica Magazine and v2com newswire, the stunning hardbound compendium due out this season features the 2023 program winners and is destined to become the year’s definitive architectural guide.
It is an exciting and interesting time to work in architecture. With the increased focus on environmental sustainability, the return of natural materials such as timber and stone in thoughtful design and the seemingly increased acceptance by the public of innovative spaces to enhance community-building and living, the Architizer A+Awards are at the right place and time to celebrate and recognize the creative minds designing our built environments.
