World Architecture Festival has announced winner for the 2019 WAFX Prize and the award went to X-Space | Urban Fabric Regeneration Verform, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

The WAFX Award heralds the world’s most forward-looking architectural concepts, and is awarded to future projects that identify key challenges that architects will need to address in the coming years. 

Ten innovative designs addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges have won awards ranging from ageing and health to cultural identity and carbon reduction. The overall WAFX winner will be presented with their award at the Gala Dinner on Friday 6th December.

This concept for an urban regeneration project in Dubai aims to create a new ‘urban living room’, based along a 1km section of the emirate’s main highway, Sheikh Zayed Road. The human-scale space is geared towards pedestrians rather than vehicles, and is designed for all cultures to congregate. The urban intervention is a response to the problem of the highway breaking up the fabric of the city. It is designed to give back public realm, along with sustainable green areas, to encourage diversity, integration and tolerance. 

The project’s aim is to reduce the use of cars, with cycle paths, public transport and light-weight vehicles. The design is across a ground level of open spaces and gardens and an upper level with workplaces, restaurants and a gym, both centred around an indigenous Ghaf tree, symbolic of stability and peace.

World Architecture Community is official Media Partner for this year's festival and offers to its Professional Members 10% discounted tickets over regular festival prices during WAF registration! All you have to do is to upgrade your World Architecture Community membership to Professional here or visit your WAC Settings page and send us ([email protected]) an email to get your promo code for your WAF registration!

Top image courtesy of WAF 

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