Shortlist for World Building of the Year 2017 Announced

These buildings tower above all others—though not necessarily by height.

Judges for this year’s World Architecture Festival announced the designs in contention for the top prize, World Building of the Year. The shortlist, which had entries from 68 countries, was released Friday.

According to Dezeen, winners in 30 categories will be announced at the festival in Berlin this November. From the pool of category winners, judges will give the World Building of the Year title to completed projects while one concept will earn the Future Project of the Year award.

Esteemed firms, like Zaha Hadid Architects and BIG, were named alongside up-and-comers such as CEBRA and Vo Trong Nghia Architects. The selected projects displayed a range of aesthetics, from experimental forms to strictly functional designs.

A Syrian housing concept that expands with a growing population is one of the more creative designs selected. The geometric Palestinian Museum and a flora-covered hotel in Vietnam also stood out on the shortlist.

Last year’s World Building of the Year, designed by Polish architect Robert Konieczny, was a subterranean museum with a roof that doubled as a public space.