World Architecture Festival 2026
About the Event
Returning to the USA for a second year, the World Architecture Festival (WAF) brings together the global architectural community to celebrate and share groundbreaking ideas from visionary designers, cutting-edge solutions from innovative practices, and inspiration from engaging keynote talks. The event spans three days of unparalleled global networking, world-class learning, and the unique opportunity to witness the world's largest live-judged architecture awards.
This year, 416 projects have been shortlisted for the 2026 World Architecture Festival, spanning completed buildings, interiors, landscapes, and bold future visions across categories such as Creative Re-Use, Housing, Hotel, Health, and Culture. Finalists will present live in front of an international panel of judges at WAF 2026.
Event Details
- Location: Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Dates: 18–20 November 2026
Fort Lauderdale, often described as the "Venice of North America," features 165 miles of inland waterways that shape the city’s character. The convention center is surrounded by excellent hotels and offers views of the iconic cruise ships that frequent the area.
Highlights
- Live judging of the world’s largest architecture awards
- Keynote talks from visionary designers
- Networking with the global architectural community
- Exploration of shortlisted projects across diverse categories
- Special prizes and WAFX Awards competitions
WAF 2025 was held in Miami, where winners in categories ranging from churches and chapels to airports and ecological spaces were celebrated. View the full list of 2025 winners in the media archive.