The World Architecture Festival (WAF) has revealed its shortlist for 2025's best new buildings. Encompassing 460 projects, from the small scale to the supertall, it's a great opportunity to check out amazing architecture from around the globe.
The 460 shortlisted projects include some big names like the Bjarke Ingels Group and Foster + Partners, alongside lesser-known studios. The USA is the most represented country this year, with China, UK, Singapore, UAE, and Japan also heavily featured.
We'll be back later in the year to report on the winner of the competition, the World Building of the Year, following a ceremony held in Miami, but until then we've highlighted some standout designs below. Additionally, the gallery includes a selection of 20 projects chosen by the WAF.
"We are delighted to be staging WAF in the USA for the first time and also thrilled that so many USA architects have entered the awards," says WAF program director Paul Finch. "We have also seen an increase in entries from Central and South America. The overall quality of the shortlist is as good as it has ever been, and we look forward to seeing over 460 presentations in Miami Beach this November."
One Za'abeel, by Japan's Nikken Sekkei, is a remarkable skyscraper in Dubai that takes the form of two adjacent towers supporting a bridge section that forms the world's longest cantilever.
One Za'abeel's towers rise to a height of 235 m (770 ft) and 305 m (1,000 ft), respectively, and contain residential space, office space, and a hotel between them. They're connected by a horizontal section named the Link, which is anchored to both towers at a height of 100 m (328 ft) above a busy highway. It measures 230 m (754 ft) in length and is topped by an infinity swimming pool and viewing points, with views of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, available. Its interior has restaurants and lounge areas, and it serves as a bridge to access each building.
Fenix was designed by MAD Architects and is located in the Netherlands. The project involved transforming a historic warehouse into a museum exploring themes of global migration, and is crowned by an eye-catching "Tornado" on its roof.
The impressive steel structure hosts a twisting, double-helix staircase. It extends 550 m (1,804 ft) in length and includes 336 steps, plus an elevator. It's clad in 297 polished stainless-steel panels – each requiring over 100 hours of polishing – and culminates in a rooftop viewing platform and canopy offering superb views of the area.
Source: WAF
