Architecture

RIBA celebrates architectural excellence from around the globe

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The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, by MASS Design Group, serves as the USA's first memorial to the victims of racial terror and consists of a series of internal and external spaces occupied by 810 Corten steel monuments. The project is one of 16 highlighted by RIBA in its 2021 International Awards for Excellence
Alan Ricks
The Polygon Gallery, by Patkau Architects, is located in Canada. It replaces a failing 1970s photography museum with a new gallery defined by a stunning sawtooth roof. The exterior features a series of LEDs which are programmed seasonally to change its appearance at night
James Dow
Expansion of the University Hospital of the Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation, by El Equipo Mazzanti/Giancarlo Mazzanti, is located in Colombia. It consists of a beautiful brick building that contains a tropical garden inside, helping patients relax in comfort as they recover
Alejandro Arango

Artists' Retreat at Pittugala was designed by Palinda Kannangara Architects and is located in Sri Lanka. The project was created to serve as a home and studio for a painter and his family, and is envisioned as a cool private oasis
Sebastian Posingis
Amorepacific Headquarters was designed by David Chipperfield Architects and is located in South Korea. The project serves as a new HQ for the Amorepacific Corporation and its overall form encourages natural ventilation and ensures the daylight is filled with light
Andreas Gehrke Noshe
Lianzhou Museum of Photography was designed by O-office Architects/Jianxiang He & Ying Jiang and is located in China. The project was built on the site of a sugar mill and was partly built with recycled materials
Chao Zhang
Friendship Hospital, Satkhira was designed by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA and is located in Bangladesh. The hospital is designed to blend naturally into its rural surroundings and features a canal that collects rainwater
Asif Salman
Kohan Ceram Central Office Building was designed by Hooba Design Group and is located in Iran. Described by RIBA as "a glowing beacon on a gray city corner," the office is naturally cooled and features extensive greenery
Parham Taghioff
Renovation of the Captain's House was designed by Vector Architects and is located in China. The project involved the refurbishment and extension of an existing ship's captain's house poised on the water's edge overlooking the East China Sea. It's defined by a distinctive barrel-vaulted roof
Hao Chen
James-Simon-Galerie was designed by David Chipperfield Architects and is located in Germany. Rather than creating one huge building, the architects decided to create a series of promenades and connective buildings that serve the main museum structure
Simon Menges
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, by MASS Design Group, serves as the USA's first memorial to the victims of racial terror and consists of a series of internal and external spaces occupied by 810 Corten steel monuments. The project is one of 16 highlighted by RIBA in its 2021 International Awards for Excellence
Alan Ricks
Msheireb Downtown Doha Masterplan was designed by Allies and Morrison with Arup and AECOM and is located in Qatar. It created a new walkable neighborhood in Qatar's capital Doha and incorporates solar power, passive ventilation, and shading
Gerry O'Leary
Modern Art Museum and its Walkways was designed by Atelier Deshaus and is located in China. It's situated within the semi-demolished remains of a 100-year-old coal center and made use of existing coal runs as new walkways
Fangfang Tian
Dongziguan Villagers' Activity Center was designed by gad line+ studio and is located in China. It serves as a new housing project in the heart of the community that draws on traditional Chinese architecture
Yi Fan
Lille Langebro was designed by WilkinsonEyre with Urban Agency and is located in Denmark. The project creates an elegant new cycle and pedestrian bridge in the city of Copenhagen
Rasmus Hjortshøj
Tai Kwun - The Centre for Heritage and Arts, by Purcell, Herzog & de Meuron, Rocco Design Architects Associates Limited, is located in Hong Kong. It transformed a former police headquarters and prison into art and exhibition spaces, plus areas to practice Tai Chi
Edmon Leong
Alila Yangshuo was designed by Vector Architects and is located in China. The firm transformed a former sugarcane mill building constructed in 1972 into a beautiful new hotel complex
Shengliang Su
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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winning projects of its 2021 International Awards for Excellence. This year's diverse lineup of 16 buildings includes everything from hotels to hospitals, as well as private homes, offices and more – with each one displaying a commitment to superb design.

The 16 projects in the 2021 RIBA International Awards hail from 11 countries (the UK is not represented here and has its own dedicated award, the Stirling Prize). The awards also double as the longlist for RIBA's International Award, and a winner of that prize will be declared in November.

"The 2021 RIBA International Awards for Excellence are presented to an ambitious and diverse range of projects from a wide range of established and upcoming architects' practices," says RIBA President Alan Jones. "It is particularly important to be considering excellence in architecture at this time – in this fast-changing world, where governments, clients and society need the skills and insight of architects. Our global awards show how well-considered, well-delivered and well-performing architecture has the immense potential to improve lives and communities. We are very pleased to be able to celebrate some of the most innovative, ingenious and impactful architecture in the world – designed by some of the most talented architects of our time."

We’ve selected a few projects that caught our eye below, but head to the gallery to see the other projects in the 2021 RIBA International Awards for Excellence.

Friendship Hospital, Satkhira was designed by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA and is located in Bangladesh. The hospital is designed to blend naturally into its rural surroundings and features a canal that collects rainwater
Asif Salman

Friendship Hospital, Satkhira is one such standout. Designed by Kashef Chowdhury/URBANA, the building is located in Bangladesh and is designed to take its place well within its rural surroundings. Its overall form is partly inspired by the country's traditional hut villages.

The hospital was created with the local climate in mind and cleverly keeps patients and staff cool using minimal energy. Corridors are shaded and openings in the brickwork facade allow cross ventilation. A central canal offers separation between outpatients and the main hospital areas, and it also collects rainwater to reduce flooding, provide drinking water, and help cool the immediate area.

Modern Art Museum and its Walkways was designed by Atelier Deshaus and is located in China. It's situated within the semi-demolished remains of a 100-year-old coal center and made use of existing coal runs as new walkways
Fangfang Tian

Modern Art Museum and its Walkways was designed by Atelier Deshaus and is located in China. It's situated within the semi-demolished remains of a 100-year-old coal center and is an excellent example of adapting an old industrial building to a modern use – even if that wasn't the plan.

The architects originally intended to entirely demolish the building and build a new gallery in its place. However, halfway through, the design team realized that budget and time constraints meant the job just couldn't be completed as planned. Rather than give up, the team managed to persuade both the client and the local government to retain the building, adapting it for gallery use, while also making use of the original coal shoots as new walkways for the surrounding area.

Renovation of the Captain's House was designed by Vector Architects and is located in China. The project involved the refurbishment and extension of an existing ship's captain's house poised on the water's edge overlooking the East China Sea. It's defined by a distinctive barrel-vaulted roof
Hao Chen

The Captain's House was designed by Vector Architects and involved the renovation and extension of an existing ship captain's house overlooking the sea in China, turning it into a resource for the entire community.

The building is a three-story structure that's topped by a distinctive barrel-vaulted roof. This area hosts a naturally lit, double-height community space that's open to locals and is used for exhibitions, education, and other events. The actual residential area of the home itself is situated on the floors below and has been designed so as to offer privacy for the family that lives there.

Source: RIBA

View gallery - 16 images
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4 comments
Imran Sheikh
Beautiful, there should be more and more projects like these. Specially the ones that goes to the limits of physics.

P.S. - I wonder how long will the "Friendship Hospital" survive as the exposed bricks will be double in mass and tiny-tiny bit increased in size, when they absorb the rain water.
Worzel
I found the 'Captains House' aroused my curiosity, So, a search revealed this; https://www.archdaily.com/871448/renovation-of-captains-house-vector-architects, for those that have similar feelings.
It looks a little incongruous in its setting amongst the traditional buildings, but has an enviable, if not precarious, view of the sea.
I have reservations about use of reinforced concrete in a salt air environment, due to possible ingress of corrosive salts into the concrete, and subsequent failure caused by corrosion of the reinforcing. However, one can only hope they showed some intelligence and used corrosion resistant steels.
I'm envious of the very peaceful and relaxing, finished interiors, and I expect the residents will be very happy there.
Overall, it deserves its placing.
Signguy
Worzel: how about the Roman piers made of concrete that still hold up today? Maybe we just need the right formula.
ljaques
Finally, a RIBA award winning building which is not just hideous. I find the hospital in Bogota, Columbia to be an interesting and attractive cube.