UNESCO honors the world’s best contemporary architecture at the Prix Versailles 2021

24 projects have been declared overall winners at the Prix Versailles 2021. The projects were chosen from eight categories: airports, campuses, passenger stations, sports, stores, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants. Each category saw three winners selected, picked from a pool of 94 candidates.

The awards seek to promote sustainable design across a variety of fields in the built environment and “underscore the admiration and respect we owe to works of architecture in view of the lasting marks they leave.” Among the winners this year were works from some of the world’s largest firms including Foster + Partners, OMA, and Zaha Hadid Architects.

This year’s jury was comprised of architect Bjarke Ingels (Denmark), fashion designer Guo Pei (China), photographer Steve McCurry (USA), film director and jury chair Jean-Jacques Annaud (France), architect Mariam Kamara (Niger), architect Patricia Urquiola (Spain), architect Ryue Nishizawa (Japan), and chef Massimo Bottura (Italy).

Below, we have listed out the 24 winning entries from the 2021 edition.

AIRPORTS

Prix Versailles: La Guardia Airport, Terminal B in New York City, NY, USA

Special prize interior: Berlin Brandenburg, Willy Brandt in Berlin, Germany

Special prize exterior: New Plymouth Airport in New Plymouth, New Zealand

CAMPUSES

Prix Versailles: California Institute of Technology, Chen Neuroscience Research Building in Pasadena, CA, USA

Special prize interior: University of Western Australia, Ezone Student Hub in Crawley, Australia

Special prize exterior: Harvard University, Science and Engineering Complex in Boston, MA, USA

PASSENGER STATIONS

Prix Versailles: Moynihan Train Hall in New York City, USA

Special prize interior: Ginkgo Swan Lake Train Station in Jiaxing, China

Special prize exterior: Reservoir Train Station in Reservoir, Australia

SPORTS

Prix Versailles: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, USA

Special prize interior: Court Philippe-Chatrier, Roland-Garros in Paris, France

Special prize exterior: Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar

SHOPS & STORES

Prix Versailles: Apple Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Singapore by Foster + Partners

Special prize interior: Âme in New York, NY, USA by Baranowitz + Kronenberg

Special prize exterior: Pharmacy Dzirciema in Riga, Latvia by Substance

SHOPPING MALLS

Prix Versailles: Galleria in Gwanggyo, South Korea by OMA/Gansam

Special prize interior: Red Plum in Shenyang, China by AAarchitects/IIA Atelier

Special prize exterior: Kö-Bogen II in Düsseldorf, Germany by Ingenhoven Architects

HOTELS

Prix Versailles: ME Dubai in Dubai, UAE by Zaha Hadid Architects

Special prize interior: República Rosa in Quito, Ecuador by nicolas&nicolas

Special prize exterior: Ulaman in Balikpapan, Indonesia by Inspiral Architects

RESTAURANTS

Prix Versailles: Mūn in Paris, France by Eve von Romberg/Charlotte Besson-Oberlin         

Special prize interior: Tori Tori Santa Fe in Mexico City, Mexico by Esrawe

Special prize exterior: Garden Café in Worcester, South Africa by Steyn Studio/Square One/Meyer