In its 17th year of supporting the World Architecture Festival (WAF), LIXIL, through its GROHE brand, welcomed about 1,600 attendees to the event held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Leading architects and designers from all over the world came together for the festival, which was organized to recognize exceptional architectural and design initiatives.
This year’s theme, “Tomorrow,” explored how trends like population movement, city growth, digital technology, AI, and cultural change will shape architecture, urban design, and interiors. Discussions and keynotes at the festival aimed to spark ideas and opportunities among the global design community.
WAF featured over 800 entries competing across various categories, with 53 winners announced. Twenty-one of these were from Asia and Australasia, led by Australia, which earned nine awards.
As a founding partner of WAF, GROHE highlighted the vital role water plays in architectural design through its “Aquatecture” exhibit. The installation focused on how water influences architecture and contributes to health and well-being.
GROHE also sponsored the GROHE Water Prize, awarded to the Maotai Eco-Metaverse project in China. This project, which aims to integrate water and resource recycling in an industrial setting, was recognized for its innovative approach to sustainability.
Audrey Yeo, Leader of LIXIL Water Technology in Asia Pacific, praised the continued success of WAF as a platform for industry discussions. She emphasized GROHE’s role in addressing key issues like personal well-being and sustainability. Yeo also highlighted the GROHE SPA “Aquatecture” installation, which aimed to inspire architects and designers to collaborate and experiment with water in their designs.
Paul Finch, Programme Director of WAF, congratulated the award winners and acknowledged the ongoing industry challenges. He expressed gratitude for the support from sponsors and delegates, which contributed to advancing design excellence at the festival.
