International Architectural Awards

Nope. This is not a space craft. It’s actually the winner of the Best Leisure Development, the King Abdullah Gardens, located in Saudi Arabia. With award programs recognizing innovative expertise, developments are trying harder and harder to push the envelope and trying to differentiate themselves from the rest. Two international awards programs named winners recently, making these awards similar to the Academy Awards for this particular industry.

The International Property Awards, known as the “industry’s most prestigious property awards programme,” is gaining much popularity within the industry, as there is now participation throughout the world. Winners are chosen for various countries and regions, in 36 different categories to chose international winners.

Here are some examples of 2009’s winners:

The Technosphere, Dubai, winner of the IPA International Architecture Award
Best High Rise Development (over 12-stories): The Gate Towers, Abu Dhabi. Eight towers with apartments, offices, and shopping
Best High Rise Architecture: Bridges Wharf, London. On the south bank of the Thames, 267 units.

Also, Asia’s MIPIM announced their own list of winning architectural projects, dominated by China and Singapore, where there has been a clear interest in grand designs that are unique and over-the-top.

Business center, Samsung Seocho, Seoul, Korea. Part of fast-growing district.
Winner of Best Chinese Project Category, Mixed-use Buildings Category & Participants' Choice Award: Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai, China.
Shopping Center, ION Orchard, Singapore. The city's first "multi-sensory experiential shopping and lifestyle mall."

Via: International Property Journal