Portuguese Architecture Finalists for World Architecture Festival
Portuguese architectural excellence has taken center stage on the global map, with several projects securing spots on the prestigious shortlist for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) awards. The winners will be announced this November at the festival’s upcoming edition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Turning Abandoned Spaces into Innovation Hubs
Leading the charge in the “Completed Projects” category is the Oriente Green Campus, located in Lisbon’s Parque das Nações. Designed by the Saraiva + Associados studio in collaboration with KPF and LJ-Group, the project is a finalist for the “Creative Re-use” award. The development represents a massive urban transformation, taking a block-sized, abandoned shopping center and reimagining it as a high-tech innovation hub.
The project successfully reconfigured deep concrete slabs—originally intended for retail—into bright, naturally ventilated workspaces. By adding stepped terraces, landscaped courtyards, and a green roof, the architects humanized the structure to suit the needs of modern technology and research firms. The project recently earned the Big See Architecture Award 2026 for its visionary approach to industrial workspaces.
Honoring Legacy Through Modern Living
The Ventura Terra Residence at the University of Lisbon’s Ajuda Campus has also earned a finalist spot in the “Higher Education and Research” category. Led by CVDB Arquitectos (Cristina Veríssimo and Diogo Burnay), the complex consists of four interconnected blocks surrounding a central “loop” courtyard.
Completed in June 2023, the 307-bed residence is named after the legendary architect Ventura Terra (1866–1919), whose work defined early 20th-century Lisbon. The design emphasizes connectivity, creating a pedestrian link between the university canteen, the Faculty of Architecture, and the southern Ajuda neighborhood.
Future Designs and Interior Excellence
The Portuguese presence at the festival extends beyond completed buildings. In the “Future Projects” category, the “Plot 143 Melides” villa by Maider Neto is a contender in the residential segment. Additionally, Casa Aether in Lisbon, a project by AB+AC Architects, has been shortlisted for its exceptional interior architecture.
The influence of Lusophone architecture is also visible in Cape Verde. The Mindelo Fish Market, led by Brazilian firm Natureza Urbana, is a finalist for the “Civic” future projects award. The same firm is also nominated in the “Landscape” category for the Pará Linear Dock Park.
The Road to Florida
The World Architecture Festival will take place from November 18 to 20 in Fort Lauderdale. The event is one of the most significant dates in the architectural calendar, bringing together the world’s most innovative designers to celebrate projects that balance functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability.
Image: Pexels – Efrem Efre
