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«The World Architecture Festival has revealed that Arata Isozaki, one of the most influential architects practicing today, whose work blends Eastern architectural style with emerging global trends, will lead the super-jury of architectural experts that will decide on the ‘World Building of the Year’ during this year’s World Architecture Festival (WAF)2010.
WAF is one of the world’s biggest gatherings of the global architectural community and will take centre stage in Barcelona for the third year running from 3rd to 5th November 2010.
The Festival’s exhibition will be based around the theme of ‘Transformations’ and will relate to the way in which the built environment can be transformed by a combination of client commitment, architectural imagination, technological development and professional teamwork.
Following its success in 2008 and 2009, the annual Festival continues to build momentum, having attracted more than 3,500 delegates from around the world.
As well as providing a platform for architects to meet and celebrate the work, concerns and aspirations of the global architectural community, WAF will feature a packed programme of presentations, seminars, exhibitions, and keynote addresses from international participants.
At the heart of the festival is the largest architectural awards programme in the world – the World Architectural Festival Awards (WAF Awards), which attracted more than 600 entries in 2009. The WAF Awards are the only annual international awards to reward excellence in a fully interactive live format. Unlike other schemes the WAF Awards involve shortlisted architects presenting their projects live to delegates and international judging panels, to compete for global architecture’s highest accolade.
This year’s WAF Awards will feature 15 categories in the World Building of the Year in addition to three other Award sections – Interiors and Fit-Out, Structural Design and Future Projects, which celebrates excellence in design for projects still on the drawing board. A star studded super-jury of distinguished architects and renowned industry figures from around the world will again be one of the highlights, with more details to be unveiled shortly.
Paul Finch, WAF programme director said: “World Architecture Festival brings international architecture to the forefront, against the backdrop of Barcelona’s breathtaking architecture. No other event offers architects around the world this type of inspiration and stimulation, which helps shape the future of the industry through best practice exchange and collaboration. We’re delighted that Arata Isozaki has agreed to head the WAF super-jury. Having an architect of this calibre, who has created architecture spanning over half a century and multiple disciplines, will help identify those projects that are truly exceptional.”
The World Architecture Festival has also teamed up with the organisers of the Art and Work Awards to introduce a new award aimed at encouraging and celebrating the relationship between art and architecture. Collaborations between architects, artists and clients will be exhibited and judged in a new awards section called ‘Art into Architecture’. The Art and Work awards also cover site specific installations, corporate art programmes and individual contributions to strengthening the relationship between art and the workplace and will be judged at WAF, with the winners announced during the Festival.
World Architecture Festival (WAF) will take place in Barcelona at the Centre Convencions International Barcelona (CCIB) from 3rd to 5th November 2010».(CS del Festival)
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