Architizer announces the 2023 shortlist for its A+Awards, the world’s largest and most democratic architectural awards program, honoring the best architecture and spaces from around the globe.

The 2023 program spotlights architects and designers working at the forefront of sustainable design. With more than 5,000 entries from 96 countries, the program’s illustrious Jury has selected Finalists in each of the program’s 120 categories. The 592 projects that made the cut achieved high marks across the judging criteria, which include points for form, function, and social and environmental impact.

This year’s Finalists paint a compelling picture of what exceptional architecture looks like today, and reveal the ways in which architects are working toward a more resilient built environment for generations to come. From boundary-pushing timber constructions to environmentally sensitive housing and hospitality projects to innovative building adaptations and renovations, the 2023 Finalists reflect the imaginative work of architects to solve pressing global challenges through design.

The shortlisted projects employ new approaches and technologies to meet the unique needs of their users and stakeholders, while showcasing an unprecedented variety of programs, materials, and formal designs.

Select 2023 Finalists include:

• Cofco Cultural and Health Center by Steven Holl Architects, Shanghai, China

• BEEAH Headquarters by Zaha Hadid Architects, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

• Oyaki Farm by Tono Mirai Architects, Nagano, Japan

• Dove Lake Viewing Shelter by Cumulus Studio, Cradle Mountain, Australia 

• Longmenshan Town Woyun Platform by Archermit, Sichuan, China

• Komera Leadership Center by BE_Design, Eastern Province, Rwanda

• Bundanon Art Museum & Bridge by Kerstin Thompson Architects, Illaroo, Australia 

• The Kaleidoscope by Inrestudio, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

• Hotel Marcel by Becker + Becker, New Haven, USA

• Blue Bottle Zhang Yuan Café by Neri & Hu, Shanghai, China

• Shor House by Measured Architecture, Mayne Island, Canada

• Great Lakes Academy Expansion by Wheeler Kearns Architecture, Chicago, USA

See the full list of categories and Finalists here. 

"The Adaptive Re-use category was a standout. It’s a hugely important sector given climate change, circularity in the economy, and the efficient use of resources. All of the work displayed a high level of creative thought and execution—choosing just one was almost impossible.” Heinz Richardson (Director, Buro Nineteen and A+Awards Juror)

Selecting the shortlisted projects were some of the design industry’s most renowned practitioners and thinkers, including Wandile Mthiyane (Ubuntu Design Group), Suchi Reddy (Reddymade), Thomas Robinson (LEVER Architecture), Sara Kolata (Disrupt Symposium), Oana Stanescu (Oana Stanescu Studio), Lesley Lokko (African Futures Institute), and Tao Liu + Chenyan Kai (Atelier Tao+c). Other members of the A+Awards prestigious 250+ Jury Academy include luminaries from the fields of art, technology, fashion, media, business, and real estate. See the complete Jury list here.

The A+Awards is unique among global architectural awards, with shortlisted projects also judged by the voting public. With the aim to break architecture out of its echo chamber, each season Architizer invites design students, enthusiasts, building occupants, and the general public to vote for their favorite work. In 2022, over 400,000 ballots were cast.

“I love the way so many architects are fearlessly embracing technology and using it to drastically change what is possible in architecture. It's fascinating to see these projects and learn their back stories.” Nikita Morell (Founder, Architects Wordshop and A+Awards Juror)

In collaboration with its official partners. the AIANY, RAIC, v2com newswire, and Aesthetica, Architizer will announce the 2023 A+Awards Winners in late May, followed by a live celebration of Winners at the Paris+ art fair in October. Winners will also be featured in Architizer: The World's Best Architecture, the year’s definitive architectural guide.