World Architecture Festival 2026

World Architecture Festival 2026 heads to Fort Lauderdale with a strong Indian presence

The World Architecture Festival (WAF) takes place from 18 to 20 November 2026 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with Indian practices among the most strongly represented on this year’s shortlist.

Now in its 19th edition, and its second in the USA, WAF brings together architects, designers, clients and manufacturers for the world’s largest live-judged architecture awards. Selected from more than 630 entries, 414 shortlisted projects across 43 categories will be presented in person to an international judging panel of 164 experts from 37 countries. Category winners then compete before the Super Jury for World Building, Landscape, Future Project and Interior Project of the Year.

Indian work on the world stage

India is one of the ten most represented countries on the 2026 shortlist. Sanjay Puri Architects is shortlisted for Prestige University in Indore, Atelier Design N Domain (ADND) for Terra House in Kerala, and the future projects programme includes a climate-responsive home in Mumbai.

Indian designs also feature among this year’s WAFX Award winners, which recognise projects responding to major global issues. Architect Hafeez Contractor’s National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat, is organised around a north-south spine of water bodies, with its museum clad in locally sourced Jodhpur stone. Ahmedabad-based tHEgRID Architects is recognised for two projects, Amrit Kunj and RINASCITA.

Why attend

For manufacturers and specifiers of surfaces, the festival brings a large international audience of architects and interior designers together in one place. The shortlist spans completed buildings, interiors, landscapes and future projects across a wide range of climates and building types. The exhibition and fringe events offer further opportunities to meet the practices behind this work.

This year’s theme is Water, a fitting subject for a coastal Florida setting. GROHE, WAF’s Founder Partner for the 19th consecutive year, will welcome visitors to a GROHE SPA space built around the idea of health through water.

Beyond the awards

Alongside the live judging, delegates have access to keynote talks, an exhibition, architecture tours of local landmarks, partner fringe events and a gala dinner at which the overall winners are announced. WAF Interiors runs alongside the main festival, bringing the best interior projects of the year to the same audience.