為了迎接即將到來的情人節，日本神奈川縣厚木市的精釀啤酒廠商 Sankt Gallen 研發出一組全新商品組合，包含巧克力風味啤酒（Imperial Chocolate Stout）與可食用的「巧克力製啤酒杯」，將於 2025 年 2 月 1 日起，於日本京王百貨新宿店、橫濱 SOGO 等指定地點限量發售。

其中，這個「巧克力製啤酒杯」是由甜點大師柳正司先生原創設計，不僅可以拿來飲用、還可以食用！而且承受 5 倍啤酒的使用量都不會融化，充滿創意和新鮮感，對於喜歡啤酒或巧克力的人來說，絕對是情人節的絕佳禮物選擇。

設計靈感來自「烏賊酒器」

Sankt Gallen 主打的新品巧克力風味啤酒（Imperial Chocolate Stout）使用比一般黑啤酒多 3 倍的原料釀製，呈現出濃郁的苦甜巧克力風味，與真正的巧克力搭配飲用更能提升風味，因此品牌打造出這款「巧克力啤酒杯」正是為了讓人能同時享受這兩者所推出的產品。

其設計靈感源自日本傳統的水產加工食品「烏賊酒器」，這種產品使用乾燥魷魚製成酒器，可以用來盛裝清酒，飲用完後還可作為下酒菜食用。同樣地，「巧克力啤酒杯」不僅可用來盛裝巧克力啤酒飲用，還能在飲用的同時品嚐杯子本身，帶來前所未有的享受體驗。

純手工製作的「巧克力啤酒杯」

這款巧克力杯為知名甜點師柳正司的原創作品，他精選了與啤酒風味完美契合的優質可可，並以手工逐一打造而成。巧克力杯的香氣與巧克力啤酒的香味相輔相成，倒入啤酒時散發的濃郁香氣，入口後在鼻腔中流轉的香味，以及飲用後悠長的餘韻，讓人全程陶醉在巧克力的世界裡。

為什麼巧克力不會融化？品牌於官網說明，經過實驗證實，在一般室溫下，即使一個體溫正常的人喝了約 5 杯的啤酒，巧克力杯也不會融化。不易溶化的原因之一，是因為他們使用的巧克力不同，便利商店或超市販售的一般巧克力，用手握住就會輕易融化，那是因為它們是可可含量低、油脂含量高的「仿巧克力」；而巧克力杯產品使用的是高可可含量「純巧克力」，因此僅靠手握是不會溶化的。

第二個不易溶化的原因，在於巧克力結晶化（回溫）過程經過精密控制，巧克力會因溫度、濕度的變化而改變各種結晶型態的比例，進而影響產品的口感和熔點（融化溫度）。因此品牌特別設定了提高熔點的回溫溫度來製作，不論是製作過程、成形後的乾燥，還是完成後的保存，都嚴格控制恆定的溫濕度。另外，Sankt Gallen 也提到，這款巧克力啤酒杯組合會全程以低溫配送，以確保其保持完好如初的狀態。

以創新的點子搭配謹慎的製作工序，品牌藉著情人節的到來，創意研發出「巧克力啤酒杯」成功吸引大眾的目光與關注。售價為 4,536 日圓，2025 年 2 月 1 日中午 12 點起線上開賣，每人限購 2 組。如有興趣的讀者，請至官網查看更多。

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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