Global Recognition at WAF 2023
Over a three-day period, from 29 November to 1 December, international designers and architects gathered in Singapore for the 2023 World Architecture Festival (WAF). One of the event highlights was a special talk entitled “Landmark 100 — Urban Complex” by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), dedicated to honouring the award-winning designs of 100 Chinese urban landmarks.
Qin Pang, Benoy Director and Head of Shanghai Studio, attended this year’s festival, where he received an award and actively participated in a series of events.
Terence Seah, Benoy Director and Head of Hong Kong, Singapore and Shenzhen, also attended the 3‑day WAF Festival, which included various workshops, crit sessions and networking events.
Benoy’s Recognition at RIBA’s “Landmark 100 — Urban Complex” Talk
On 30 November, RIBA held the “Landmark 100 — Urban Complex” talk on the Festival Hall Stage, bringing together a diverse group of professionals involved in designing 100 award-winning urban landmarks across China.
Benoy’s award-winning project, Suzhou Joy City (formally COFCO Joy Breeze Suzhou), stands out as groundbreaking achievement. The awards were presented by Umi Lyu (Head of Development at RIBA China), Duncan Fletcher-Payne (RIBA Singapore Chapter Chair), and Simon Alford (former RIBA President).
Environmental Impact Talks: Round-Table Insights
During the subsequent round-table sessions, Qin Pang collaborated with guests, including Lizhi Ren (Chief Architect at Tongji University Architectural Design Institute), Xueyin Lang (Licensed Structural Engineer and Vice President of the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Architectural Design and Research), Yong Zheng (Chief Architect at China Southwest Architectural Design And Research Institute) and Frank Jiang (founder of interior design studio JATO Design).
Together, they engaged in in-depth and practical discussions concerning the environmental impact of Chinese commercial complexes. The topics covered include the imperative to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions while ensuring that these complexes effectively meet the evolving needs of local residents.
Benoy’s Qin Pang Shines on the “2023 RIBA China Landmark 100” List
At the WAF Gala Dinner on 1 December, Qin Pang was honoured with an award, serving as one of two representatives from the “2023 RIBA China Landmark 100 — Urban Commercial Complex List”. The awards were presented by former RIBA President Paul Hyett, adding to the significance of the occasion.
15 Benoy projects have secured spots on the prestigious “2023 RIBA China Landmark 100 — Urban Commercial Complex” list. This achievement not only underscores our team’s professionalism from project initiation to completion but also highlights the widespread recognition our design and commercial projects receive across both the industry and the academic community.
WAF 2023 Success & Excitement for WAF 2024 in Singapore
Two Benoy projects have been named finalists for this year’s WAF Awards. We look forward to returning to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands in November 2024, where we will join other leading architects from around the world to celebrate the latest innovations in design.
