每天都有值得庆祝的理由，幸运的小事发生、与亲密的人共度纪念日、和朋友家人的共聚等等……；然而，在我们兴高采烈地庆祝同时，世界上仍有许多地方、数百万的人在经历痛苦的战争，而战争改变了他们每一天的意义。

义大利非营利组织 EMERGENCY 与奥美（Ogilvy）共同发起的新年度倡议《365 Days》，这项年度计画每年以不同形式更新，旨在为战争及其影响的受害者发声。在 2024 年末，他们释出了一支广告影片，反思那些看似平凡的生活片段，在战争下瞬间变了调。期许新的一年，人们可以庆祝不再战争的那一天。

反思战争所改变的美好日常

EMERGENCY 是一个义大利非政府组织，创立于 1994 年，致力于为战争、饥荒和贫困地区的民众提供免费、高品质的医疗服务，同时倡导和平文化和对生命的尊重。他们与奥美（Ogilvy）共同发起的新年度倡议《365 Days》，期许实现未来能够达到 365 天的和平。

这部广告影片自 2024 年 12 月 30 日正式发布，在品牌的国际社群媒体平台及义大利电视台 La7 播出。影片一开始呈现了不同地区人们的生活片段，像是一位女孩似乎在旅行、一群小女孩开心地玩捉迷藏、一对恋人正深情地接吻……等这些表面看似平凡美好的日常，在影片后半段却变了调，在战火之下的人民，生活的本质便从此改变——那位看似在旅行的女孩实际上正在逃亡；小女孩们并非在玩捉迷藏，而是躲避士兵；恋人们的接吻竟是告别的瞬间。

EMERGENCY 的创办人、义大利外科医生吉诺·斯特拉达（Gino Strada）曾说：「 战争不是靠条约废除的，而是通过激发反思与文化达成的。 」此次透过短短一分钟的影片，道尽了战争所带来的无奈与悲伤，以「365 天」为题，选在一年之终发布，提醒著世人在新年欢聚之时，也能挂念著那些还在苦难中的人们，一同祈祷尽快迎来世界和平的那一天，所有人皆能够普天同庆地高歌庆祝。

EMERGENCY 的通讯总监西蒙内塔·戈拉（Simonetta Gola）表示：「2024 年，全球仍有超过 50 场激烈地冲突，数百万人每天都在经历战争。当新的一年开始，我们的思绪自然会想到他们。」同时她也感谢奥美长期透过创意，协助推广和平与美好。如有兴趣的读者，可至 EMERGENCY 社群查看更多资讯。

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全球有许多享誉国际的设计奖项，例如普立兹克建筑奖 (Pritzker Architecture Prize)、英国皇家建筑师学会奖 (RIBA Awards)、美国建筑师学会金奖 (AIA Awards) 、德国红点设计奖 (Red dot design award) 以及德国 iF 设计奖 (iF Design Award) 等等，每个奖项都有其独特的评选标准与价值观，推动不同层面的设计发展。

身为国际设计奖项的评审之一，我曾担任 iF Design Award 和 FRAME Award 的评审委员，而这次，我也有幸参与 2024 世界建筑节 (World Architecture Festival，简称 WAF) 与世界室内设计节 (Inside World Festival of Interiors，简称 INSIDE) “Small Project of the Year” 的评选过程，我希望透过这篇文章，带你一探 WAF 评选背后的幕后故事。

𝟭｜评审过程从不只是美丽的照片

2024 年 WAF 吸引来自全球 71 个国家的 350 间事务所，其中包括札哈·哈蒂 (Zaha Hadid)、诺曼·福斯特 (Norman Foster)、BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) 等知名事务所，共计 800 件作品参赛。评选过程首先仔细筛选，缩减至 480 个入围专案。在 WAF，获奖从来不只是因为一张漂亮的照片。评选过程更像是一场马拉松，一场为期三天的现场竞赛，每个入围团队都必须亲自到现场向评审和听众简报，每组有十分钟介绍专案，接着是十分钟与评审的热烈问答环节。没有预录的宣传影片，只有建筑师在现场捍卫自己的理念。

而最关键的是——赢得类别奖项并不是终点。各项类别得奖者会进一步竞逐「年度大奖 (Project of the Year)」，与全球顶尖作品同台较劲。这意味着，Small Project 不仅能与国际知名专案一较高下，更突显设计竞赛的公平性。在这个舞台上，影响力不取决于专案预算的多寡，而是来自设计的深度与理念的强度。无论是大型开发案还是小型空间，每个专案都被赋予同等机会，只要能够展现创意与影响力，都有可能脱颖而出。

这次我有幸与两位业界领袖们并肩评选：

・AJC Architects 的执行长兼设计总监 Michael Heenan，以大胆且永续的澳洲建筑闻名
・Dubbeldam Architecture + Design 的负责人的 Heather Dubbeldam，是加拿大永续建筑与空间叙事的佼佼者

我们并非总是意见一致。有评审着重于技术精准度，有评审关注于永续性，而我，作为来自亚洲的评审，更能理解亚洲地区在建筑设计上的挑战与机会。因此，在评选过程中，我也特别关注如何在全球视角下，确保亚洲的建筑语境与文化脉络能够被完整呈现，不至于让评选过于偏向西方视角。这些观点的碰撞，正是 WAF 评选的强大之处—— 它不只是个人观点，而是一场推动建筑向前发展的严谨讨论。

𝟮｜为什么 Small Project 反而更厉害？

「Small Project of the Year」是个有趣的类别。大型建筑或许能用规模取胜，但微型专案的竞争力来自于对智慧与巧思的极致发挥。当预算、空间或材料受限，反而激发出纯粹的设计思维，证明伟大的建筑不在于规模的大小，而在于创意的深度与所能产生的影响力。

此外，Small Project 提供一个更具包容性的竞赛环境，让来自新兴国家的建筑师，以及规模较精简的建筑事务所，也能在国际舞台上展现实力。特别是在亚洲，许多建筑师较难以接触大规模专案或拥有庞大的客户资源，但透过这样的平台，他们的创意仍然能够被世界看见，与全球顶尖设计人才同场较劲。这正是这类奖项的价值所在——它提供一个公平竞争的机会，让更多独特且具影响力的设计理念得以被发掘与欣赏，甚至改变我们对未来空间的想像。

今年的入围作品令人惊艳：

・新加坡 Formwerkz Architects 的「宁静宠物火化场 (Sanctuary Pet Crematorium)」，一个充满抚慰人心力量的空间，重新定义我们如何与挚爱宠物道别。

・赛普勒斯共和国 Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects 的「国家星象观测站 (National Star Observatory)」，把观星的浪漫与景观完美融合的功能性观景台。

・中国 LIN Architecture 的「混凝土亭 – 泵站 (Concrete Pavilion-Pumping Station)」，抽水站也能变身为公共建筑雕塑。

・日本手冢建筑研究所 (Tezuka Architects) 的「Fushi 日式旅馆」，室内外空间自然融合，兼顾简约与优雅。

最让我印象深刻的是，每个专案都讲述一个强而有力的故事。有些挑战空间的既定类型，重新诠释其可能性；有些则在永续性上下足功夫，善用再生材料与智慧型被动式设计。每个细节都精准到位，因为在小型专案中，细节决定成败。

𝟯｜得奖真的重要吗？

这是一个设计圈永远都会讨论的问题：得到奖项真的那么重要吗？

有人认为好的设计不需要外界认可，它自然会发光发热。也有人相信，奖项能为设计师带来可信度、知名度和机会，尤其对新兴的事务所至关重要。

对我而言，奖项的真正价值不在于捧回奖杯，而在于参与其中的整个过程。提交作品时，建筑师必须反思自己的创作，重新厘清设计理念，思考为什么这个专案值得被看见，并将其置于全球脉络中进行对话。而在评审面前简报，更是一场捍卫设计初衷、磨练叙事能力的绝佳机会。

以今年的得奖者日本手冢建筑研究所（Tezuka Architects）为例，他们已在业界深耕数十年，并不需要再靠奖项证明自己。但他们依然选择参赛，持续挑战自我。对我来说，这才是最重要的——不要自满，不要停下前进的脚步。

最后感想：持续突破极限

担任 WAF/INSIDE 评审，让我想起比建筑更重要的事情：成功不是抵达终点，而是不断追求更高的目标。无论你是建筑师、设计师，或是从事完全不同的领域，这个道理都适用：

・挑战鞭策自我，时时追问「还能不能更好？」
・即使不被要求，也要勇于迎战，成长往往藏在过程之中
・永不停止精进自己的技艺，设计的本质就是持续进化

因为到最后，我总是说：「 敢于梦想不可能，方能创造无限可能。 」

2024 年 WAF 吸引来自全球 71 个国家的 350 间事务所，共计 800 件作品参赛。由 140 位评审组成的专业评审团，从 480 个入围专案中，精选出 44 项 WAF/INSIDE 类别得奖者及年度大奖得主。资料来源：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