The World’s Best Designs: Announcing the Winners of the 8th Annual A+Awards!

This season’s program celebrates designs that are set to transform society and the built environment for generations to come.

Architizer Editors Architizer Editors

Finally, after an immense period of anticipation — and hundreds of thousands of online votes — we are excited to reveal the winners of the 8th Annual A+Awards! Founded on the premise of democratizing architecture, the A+Awards is the industry’s largest and most international awards program honoring the best architecture, spaces and products from across the globe.

Without further ado, explore every winner in the Jury and Popular Choice winner here:

See the Winners of the 2020 A+Awards

In time to global upheaval, this season’s theme — The Future of Architecture elevates those designs that are transforming society and the built environment for generations to come. 2020 winners includes innovative projects and products by renowned industry leaders and emerging talents alike. A compendium of 2020 architecture winners, published by Phaidon, will be released in early 2021. Here is a visual taste of this year’s extraordinary A+Awards winners…

Chimney House by Atelier DAU, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Building Small category

Forest of Numbers by emmanuelle moureaux architecture + design, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Color category

Leeza SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Office – High Rise (16+ Floors) category; image © Hufton + Crow

Mountain House in Mist, Zhejiang by Shulin Architectural Design, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Pavilion category

Olympic House by 3XN, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Architecture +Stairs category

Capsule hotel in a rural library by Atelier TAO+C, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Libraries category; image © su shengliang

Skigard Hytte by Mork Ulnes Architects, 2020 A+Award Jury Winner in the Private House (M 1000-3000 sq ft) category; photo by Bruce Damonte Photography

Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum by Studio Gang, 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner in the Unbuilt Cultural category; rendering by MIR

In its 8th season, the A+Awards received over 5,000 entries from 100+ countries, with a special emphasis on honoring projects that respond to imminent global challenges such as climate change, urbanization and migration, rising inequity, and pandemic. Notable Jurors included Amanda Levete (Principal, AL_A), Christian Benimana (Director, Africa Design Centre), David de Rothschild (explorer and climate activist), Aric Chen (curator, Design Miami/Basel), Neri Oxman (designer and faculty, MIT Media Lab), and many more. A Jury-selected Winner and a Popular Choice Winner were awarded in each of the 115 categories, with over 400,000 votes cast by the voting public.

In addition to the Jury and Popular Choice winners, Special Honoree Awards are being presented to six key works this year. The 2020 Honoree Awards include:

  • Beijing Daxing International Airport (Zaha Hadid Architects)
  • Thammasat University Urban Rooftop Farm (LANDPROCESS)
  • Temporary Site of Shengli Market (LUO studio)
  • Solar Carve (40 Tenth Ave) (Studio Gang)
  • MuseumLab (Koning Eizenberg Architects)
  • Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre (iredale pedersen hook and Advanced Timber Concepts Studio)

With projects ranging from rural community centers to national transportation infrastructure, these Honoree Awards demonstrate the extraordinary impact of architecture at both local and global scales, highlighting works that act as new models for communities and cities worldwide.

Introducing the Inaugural A+Firm Awards

The incredible success of this year’s A+Awards has surfaced the potential to reward not just the world’s best architecture, but also the talented teams that make it a reality. We are therefore thrilled to announce that the 1st Annual A+Firm Awards will launch this fall. The A+Firm Awards will spotlight the best firms in the AEC industry, giving innovative companies the global recognition they deserve. It promises to be the world’s largest awards program designed explicitly to reward studios of all sizes, geographies, and specializations.

To register your interest for the Inaugural A+Firm Awards and secure an exclusive Early Bird Discount on your firm’s submission, head this way:

Register for the A+Firm Awards

Thank you to every single participant in this year’s A+Awards — the world of architecture and design is richer thanks to your hard work and dedication, and we are honored to be able to share your work with the world. Watch out for special coverage of this year’s A+Award Winners and Special Honorees on Architizer Journal and across social media throughout the coming weeks!

Top image: Qishe Courtyard by ARCHSTUDIO, 2020 A+Award Jury Winner in the Architecture +Renovation category.

Read more articles by Architizer

A Second Life: Angelo Renna Proposes a Vast Coronavirus Memorial in San Siro Stadium

The concept would see Milan’s iconic football stadium into a massive cypress forest where mourners c ould pay tribute to their lost loved ones.

Will Architects Ever Go Back to the Office?

Having adapted to remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic, architecture firms across the globe a re faced with a new dilemma: Do we go back?

+