每天都有值得慶祝的理由，幸運的小事發生、與親密的人共度紀念日、和朋友家人的共聚等等……；然而，在我們興高采烈地慶祝同時，世界上仍有許多地方、數百萬的人在經歷痛苦的戰爭，而戰爭改變了他們每一天的意義。

義大利非營利組織 EMERGENCY 與奧美（Ogilvy）共同發起的新年度倡議《365 Days》，這項年度計畫每年以不同形式更新，旨在為戰爭及其影響的受害者發聲。在 2024 年末，他們釋出了一支廣告影片，反思那些看似平凡的生活片段，在戰爭下瞬間變了調。期許新的一年，人們可以慶祝不再戰爭的那一天。

反思戰爭所改變的美好日常

EMERGENCY 是一個義大利非政府組織，創立於 1994 年，致力於為戰爭、飢荒和貧困地區的民眾提供免費、高品質的醫療服務，同時倡導和平文化和對生命的尊重。他們與奧美（Ogilvy）共同發起的新年度倡議《365 Days》，期許實現未來能夠達到 365 天的和平。

這部廣告影片自 2024 年 12 月 30 日正式發布，在品牌的國際社群媒體平台及義大利電視台 La7 播出。影片一開始呈現了不同地區人們的生活片段，像是一位女孩似乎在旅行、一群小女孩開心地玩捉迷藏、一對戀人正深情地接吻……等這些表面看似平凡美好的日常，在影片後半段卻變了調，在戰火之下的人民，生活的本質便從此改變——那位看似在旅行的女孩實際上正在逃亡；小女孩們並非在玩捉迷藏，而是躲避士兵；戀人們的接吻竟是告別的瞬間。

EMERGENCY 的創辦人、義大利外科醫生吉諾·斯特拉達（Gino Strada）曾說：「 戰爭不是靠條約廢除的，而是通過激發反思與文化達成的。 」此次透過短短一分鐘的影片，道盡了戰爭所帶來的無奈與悲傷，以「365 天」為題，選在一年之終發布，提醒著世人在新年歡聚之時，也能掛念著那些還在苦難中的人們，一同祈禱盡快迎來世界和平的那一天，所有人皆能夠普天同慶地高歌慶祝。

EMERGENCY 的通訊總監西蒙內塔·戈拉（Simonetta Gola）表示：「2024 年，全球仍有超過 50 場激烈地衝突，數百萬人每天都在經歷戰爭。當新的一年開始，我們的思緒自然會想到他們。」同時她也感謝奧美長期透過創意，協助推廣和平與美好。如有興趣的讀者，可至 EMERGENCY 社群查看更多資訊。

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全球有許多享譽國際的設計獎項，例如普立茲克建築獎 (Pritzker Architecture Prize)、英國皇家建築師學會獎 (RIBA Awards)、美國建築師學會金獎 (AIA Awards) 、德國紅點設計獎 (Red dot design award) 以及德國 iF 設計獎 (iF Design Award) 等等，每個獎項都有其獨特的評選標準與價值觀，推動不同層面的設計發展。

身為國際設計獎項的評審之一，我曾擔任 iF Design Award 和 FRAME Award 的評審委員，而這次，我也有幸參與 2024 世界建築節 (World Architecture Festival，簡稱 WAF) 與世界室內設計節 (Inside World Festival of Interiors，簡稱 INSIDE) “Small Project of the Year” 的評選過程，我希望透過這篇文章，帶你一探 WAF 評選背後的幕後故事。

𝟭｜評審過程從不只是美麗的照片

2024 年 WAF 吸引來自全球 71 個國家的 350 間事務所，其中包括札哈·哈蒂 (Zaha Hadid)、諾曼·福斯特 (Norman Foster)、BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) 等知名事務所，共計 800 件作品參賽。評選過程首先仔細篩選，縮減至 480 個入圍專案。在 WAF，獲獎從來不只是因為一張漂亮的照片。評選過程更像是一場馬拉松，一場為期三天的現場競賽，每個入圍團隊都必須親自到現場向評審和聽眾簡報，每組有十分鐘介紹專案，接著是十分鐘與評審的熱烈問答環節。沒有預錄的宣傳影片，只有建築師在現場捍衛自己的理念。

而最關鍵的是——贏得類別獎項並不是終點。各項類別得獎者會進一步競逐「年度大獎 (Project of the Year)」，與全球頂尖作品同台較勁。這意味著，Small Project 不僅能與國際知名專案一較高下，更突顯設計競賽的公平性。在這個舞台上，影響力不取決於專案預算的多寡，而是來自設計的深度與理念的強度。無論是大型開發案還是小型空間，每個專案都被賦予同等機會，只要能夠展現創意與影響力，都有可能脫穎而出。

這次我有幸與兩位業界領袖們並肩評選：

・AJC Architects 的執行長兼設計總監 Michael Heenan，以大膽且永續的澳洲建築聞名
・Dubbeldam Architecture + Design 的負責人的 Heather Dubbeldam，是加拿大永續建築與空間敘事的佼佼者

我們並非總是意見一致。有評審著重於技術精準度，有評審關注於永續性，而我，作為來自亞洲的評審，更能理解亞洲地區在建築設計上的挑戰與機會。因此，在評選過程中，我也特別關注如何在全球視角下，確保亞洲的建築語境與文化脈絡能夠被完整呈現，不至於讓評選過於偏向西方視角。這些觀點的碰撞，正是 WAF 評選的強大之處—— 它不只是個人觀點，而是一場推動建築向前發展的嚴謹討論。

𝟮｜為什麼 Small Project 反而更厲害？

「Small Project of the Year」是個有趣的類別。大型建築或許能用規模取勝，但微型專案的競爭力來自於對智慧與巧思的極致發揮。當預算、空間或材料受限，反而激發出純粹的設計思維，證明偉大的建築不在於規模的大小，而在於創意的深度與所能產生的影響力。

此外，Small Project 提供一個更具包容性的競賽環境，讓來自新興國家的建築師，以及規模較精簡的建築事務所，也能在國際舞台上展現實力。特別是在亞洲，許多建築師較難以接觸大規模專案或擁有龐大的客戶資源，但透過這樣的平台，他們的創意仍然能夠被世界看見，與全球頂尖設計人才同場較勁。這正是這類獎項的價值所在——它提供一個公平競爭的機會，讓更多獨特且具影響力的設計理念得以被發掘與欣賞，甚至改變我們對未來空間的想像。

今年的入圍作品令人驚艷：

・新加坡 Formwerkz Architects 的「寧靜寵物火化場 (Sanctuary Pet Crematorium)」，一個充滿撫慰人心力量的空間，重新定義我們如何與摯愛寵物道別。

・賽普勒斯共和國 Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects 的「國家星象觀測站 (National Star Observatory)」，把觀星的浪漫與景觀完美融合的功能性觀景台。

・中國 LIN Architecture 的「混凝土亭 – 泵站 (Concrete Pavilion-Pumping Station)」，抽水站也能變身為公共建築雕塑。

・日本手塚建築研究所 (Tezuka Architects) 的「Fushi 日式旅館」，室內外空間自然融合，兼顧簡約與優雅。

最讓我印象深刻的是，每個專案都講述一個強而有力的故事。有些挑戰空間的既定類型，重新詮釋其可能性；有些則在永續性上下足功夫，善用再生材料與智慧型被動式設計。每個細節都精準到位，因為在小型專案中，細節決定成敗。

𝟯｜得獎真的重要嗎？

這是一個設計圈永遠都會討論的問題：得到獎項真的那麼重要嗎？

有人認為好的設計不需要外界認可，它自然會發光發熱。也有人相信，獎項能為設計師帶來可信度、知名度和機會，尤其對新興的事務所至關重要。

對我而言，獎項的真正價值不在於捧回獎盃，而在於參與其中的整個過程。提交作品時，建築師必須反思自己的創作，重新釐清設計理念，思考為什麼這個專案值得被看見，並將其置於全球脈絡中進行對話。而在評審面前簡報，更是一場捍衛設計初衷、磨練敘事能力的絕佳機會。

以今年的得獎者日本手塚建築研究所（Tezuka Architects）為例，他們已在業界深耕數十年，並不需要再靠獎項證明自己。但他們依然選擇參賽，持續挑戰自我。對我來說，這才是最重要的——不要自滿，不要停下前進的腳步。

最後感想：持續突破極限

擔任 WAF/INSIDE 評審，讓我想起比建築更重要的事情：成功不是抵達終點，而是不斷追求更高的目標。無論你是建築師、設計師，或是從事完全不同的領域，這個道理都適用：

・挑戰鞭策自我，時時追問「還能不能更好？」
・即使不被要求，也要勇於迎戰，成長往往藏在過程之中
・永不停止精進自己的技藝，設計的本質就是持續進化

因為到最後，我總是說：「 敢於夢想不可能，方能創造無限可能。 」

2024 年 WAF 吸引來自全球 71 個國家的 350 間事務所，共計 800 件作品參賽。由 140 位評審組成的專業評審團，從 480 個入圍專案中，精選出 44 項 WAF/INSIDE 類別得獎者及年度大獎得主。資料來源：WAF

What’s Behind a Design Award? Inside the Jury Room at WAF 2024

Design awards always have a bit of mystery around them—who really decides the winners? What happens behind the scenes? And does winning even matter?

There are numerous internationally renowned design awards worldwide, such as the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the RIBA Awards, the AIA Gold Medal, the Red Dot Design Award from Germany, and the iF Design Award from Germany. Each of these awards has its own unique evaluation criteria and values, driving the evolution of design across different dimensions.

As one of the judges for international design awards, I have served on the jury for the iF Design Award and the FRAME Award. This time, I am also honored to take part as a jury member for the Small Project of the Year at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2024, I got an inside look at the process, the debates, and the drama that unfolds.

There are three big takeaways from my experience:

𝟭｜The Jury Process: More Than Just Pretty Pictures

The 2024 WAF attracted 350 firms including big names like Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, BIG, and alike from 71 countries worldwide, with a total of 800 submissions. The selection process began with a thorough screening, narrowing the entries down to 480 shortlisted projects*. At WAF, winning isn’t just about having the most stunning project photos. The judging process is a three-day live competition, where architecture is put to the test. Each shortlisted team is flown in to present their project in person. Every team gets 10 minutes to present, followed by 10 minutes of intense Q&A. No pre-recorded sales pitches—just architects defending their ideas in real-time.

And here’s the kicker—winning your category isn’t the final stop. If you take home a category win, you’re entered into the Project of the Year competition, where the best of the best battle it out. This means a small project can go head-to-head with major global icons, proving that impact matters more than scale. This means that smaller projects can stand shoulder to shoulder with globally renowned names, highlighting the fairness of the design competition. Whether it’s a large-scale development or a micro-space, every project is given the same opportunity— influence is not determined by budget size but by the depth of creativity and the power of its impact.

The jury? This year, I had the honor of sitting alongside industry leaders:

・Michael Heenan, CEO and Design Lead at AJC Architects, known for bold, sustainable Australian architecture.
・Heather Dubbeldam, Principal of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, a Canadian powerhouse blending sustainability and spatial storytelling.

We didn’t always agree. Some jurors focused on technical precision, others on sustainability, as a judge from Asia, I understand the challenges and opportunities in architectural design across the region. Therefore, during the evaluation process, I pay special attention to ensuring that Asia’s architectural context and cultural narratives are fairly represented from a global perspective, preventing the selection from being overly skewed toward a Western viewpoint. It was a battle of minds, but that’s what makes the WAF selection so powerful— it’s not just one person’s opinion, but a rigorous discussion that pushes architecture forward.

𝟮｜Why Small is Great

There’s something special about the Small Project of the Year category. Big buildings can impress with scale, but small projects must impress with intelligence. With limited budgets, space, or materials, these projects prove that great architecture isn’t about size—it’s about creativity and impact.

Moreover, small-scale projects create a more inclusive competitive environment, allowing architects from smaller countries and smaller architectural firms to showcase their talents on the international stage. This is especially significant in Asia, where many architects have limited access to large-scale projects or extensive client resources. Through such platforms, their creativity can still be recognized globally, enabling them to compete alongside top design talents from around the world. This is precisely the value of these awards—they provide a fair opportunity for competition, allowing more unique and influential design concepts to be discovered and appreciated, even shaping the way we envision future spaces.

This year’s shortlist was a showcase of innovation:

・Sanctuary Pet Crematorium by Formwerkz Architects (Singapore) – A deeply moving, tranquil space that transforms how we say goodbye to pets.

・National Star Observatory by Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects (Cyprus) – A functional observatory that blends seamlessly into the landscape.

・Concrete Pavilion-Pumping Station by LIN Architecture (China) – A pumping station turned architectural sculpture.

・Fushi by Tezuka Architects (Japan) – A perfect fusion of interior and exterior, balancing simplicity with elegance.

What struck me the most was how each project told a powerful story. Some challenged typologies, redefining what certain spaces could be. Others tackled sustainability, using reclaimed materials and smart passive design. Every project was precise—because in small projects, every single detail counts.

𝟯｜Do Awards Even Matter?

Here’s the big debate—is winning a design award actually important?

Some argue that good design should stand on its own, without the need for external validation. Others believe that awards give architects credibility, visibility, and opportunities, especially for emerging firms.

For me, the value of an award isn’t just in holding a trophy—it’s in the process. Submitting a project forces architects to reflect on their work, articulate their ideas, and engage in a global conversation. Presenting in front of a jury means having to defend your decisions and refine your storytelling.

Take Tezuka Architects, this year’s winner of Small Project of the Year. They’ve been in the industry for decades. They don’t need awards. Yet they still compete. They still put themselves out there, and still challenge themselves. That, to me, is what matters—never settling, never stopping.

Final Thoughts: Keep Pushing Boundaries

Being on the WAF jury this year reminded me of something bigger than architecture:

Success isn’t about reaching a finish line—it’s about always striving for more.

Whether you’re an architect, designer, or in a completely different field, the lesson is the same:

・Push yourself.
・Compete, even when you don’t have to.
・Never stop refining your craft.

Because in the end, I often say: “ Those who dare to dream the impossible are the ones who shape the future. ”

The 2024 World Architecture Festival (WAF) attracted 350 firms from 71 countries worldwide, totalling 800 project entries. A professional jury of 140 judges carefully selected 44 WAF/INSIDE category winners and the overall grand prize winners from a shortlist of 480 projects. Source:WAF