The World Architecture Festival took place in Singapore this year and saw around 200 shortlisted projects compete for awards in 30 different categories, from offices and places of religion, to family homes, schools, shopping centers, and future architecture projects. WAF is arguably the most prestigious of architectural honors in the world, and it draws the best of talent from across nations. The shortlisted projects and the wide range of architectural interventions presented in the festival is indicative of the fertility of the built environment, of creative processes and responsibilities accruing to furthering of thinking and doing architecture, in breathing life into spaces and structures for human families, communities, and societies worldwide. Take a look at the top honors.

BEST HOUSE: This Australian house was created when a tiny caretaker’s cottage was recycled and expanded to remove unused space. The Left-Over-Space House” by Cox Rayner Architects, Australia.

BEST IN HOUSING: The architects of this Los Angeles apartment complex restored and expanded on what used to be a YMCA in the 1920s. “28th Street Apartments” by Koning Eizenberg Architecture, USA

BEST OFFICE: This Norwegian building is made up of five layers of offices stacked on top of each other. “Statoil Regional and International Offices” by A-Lab, Norway

BEST IN HIGHER ED/RESEARCH: This UK building and its piazzas blend into the surrounding hillside, giving students a pleasant open space for studying and relaxation. “University of Exeter: Forum Project” by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, U.K.

BEST IN DISPLAY: The new home of the Denmark National Aquarium is covered in 33,000 aluminum shingles and looks just like a whirlpool. “The Blue Planet” by 3XN, Denmark

BEST IN RELIGION: This cave-like mosque blends into its surrounding Turkish landscape. The main part of the space is located below the canopy seen here. “Sancaklar Mosque” by EAA–Emre Arolat Architects, Turkey

BEST SCHOOL: The ground floor of this athletic complex in the Netherlands is completely transparent, making for an airy and freeing work-out experience. “Fontys Sports College” by Mecanoo International, Netherlands

BEST IN SHOPPING: This Swedish building contains offices, housing, and shops and has a publicly accessible roof with grassy hills. “Emporia” by Wingardh Arkitektkontor, Sweden

BEST IN CIVIC/COMMUNITY: This miniature village was designed in collaboration with Women for Women International as an effort to rebuild infrastructure and create economic opportunity in Rwanda. The complex includes a demonstration kitchen where women learn to produce and market their own goods. “Women’s Opportunity Centre” by Sharon Davis Design, Rwanda

BEST VILLA: This Singaporean villa is basically two houses in one, connected to each other by a passageway that looks like a folding camera. “Namly House” by Chang Architects, Singapore 

BEST IN HEALTH: Located in Chicago, this 386-bed medical complex is the largest LEED Gold-NC certified hospital in the world. “Rush University Medical Center New Hospital Tower” by Perkins+Will, USA

BEST IN ENERGY/RECYCLING: This Singaporean building’s veil is able to simultaneously protect occupants from harsh tropical sunlight and provide great view of the park nearby. “A Simple Factory Building” by Pencil Office, Singapore

BEST HOTEL: This London hotel’s beautiful inner courtyard brings natural light into the rooms and provides guests with a space to relax and socialize. “Citizen M London Bankside” by Concrete, U.K.

BEST IN SPORT: This UK building’s fluid design reflects the complex’s many swimming pools. “Splashpoint Leisure Centre” by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, U.K.

BEST IN ‘OLD & NEW’: This Austrian palace was originally built for a Russian ambassador in the 19th century, but it has been updated to include a modern steel support system and an underground parking garage. “Conversion of the Palais Rasumofsky” by Baar-Baarenfels Architekten, Austria

BEST IN TRANSPORT: This updated terminal in Australia was the site of the world’s first international shipping service. “Sydney Cruise Terminal” by Johnson Pilton Walker Architects, Australia

BEST IN CULTURE: This renovated art gallery in New Zealand, which won the award for World Building of the Year, mimics the surrounding hills and forests. “Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki” by Frances-Jones Morehen Thorp and Archimedia, New Zealand

BEST LANDSCAPE: This botanical garden is dedicated to Australian flora and contains some 170,000 plants of 1,700 different species. “The Australian Garden” by Taylor Cullity Lethlean + Paul Thompson, Australia

BEST IN HEALTH (future project): Inner courtyards will bring light into this medical center in Kuwait while still preserving the necessary privacy and security. “New Sulaibikhat Medical Center” by AGI Architects, Kuwait

BEST HOUSE (future project): This spiritual site in Lebanon looks like a fallen boulder and will offer fantastic views of the neighboring forests and seaside. “Meditation House” by MZ Architects, Lebanon

BEST IN COMMERCIAL/MIXED-USE (future project): A glassed-roof atrium will bring an abundance of light into this retail and office building in the UK. “New Office in Central London” by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, U.K.

BEST OFFICE (future project): The headquarters for this Turkish pharmaceutical company are made up of seven separate houses connected to each other by gardens or patios. “Selcuk Ecza Headquarters” by Tabanlioglu Architects, Turkey

BEST LEISURE DEVELOPMENT (future project): Located on a waterfront site of more than 80 acres, this massive building in Singapore will house a wide range of sporting, entertainment, retail, and leisure facilities. “Singapore Sports Hub” by Singapore Sports Hub Design Team, Singapore

BEST IN MASTERPLANNING (future project): This design calls for the creation of a whole new neighborhood in West London, complete with a sustainable housing community, offices, and a new shopping area. “Earls Court Masterplan” by Farrells, U.K.

BEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE (future project): This new construction will create what architects hope is a flood-proof terminal to replace the one destroyed in Brisbane in 2011. “Brisbane Ferry Terminals Post-Flood Recovery” by Cox Rayner Architects, Australia 

BEST IN EDUCATION (future project): This project in Denmark combines the construction of a new school district and sports complex with the renovation of historic buildings and plazas. “The Urban School in Elsinore” by EFFEKT & RUBOW, Denmark

BEST IN RESIDENTIAL (future project): The unique design of these townhouses in Thailand allows for natural light and ventilation. “Siamese Blossom” by Somdoon Architects Ltd., Thailand

BEST EXPERIMENTAL BUILDING (future project): With huge windows and wide open spaces, this futuristic office space in the UK takes its inspiration from industrial-era factories. “White Collar Factory” by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, U.K. 

FUTURE PROJECT OF THE YEAR: This design, which is made up of five separate halls that flow towards the harbor, won in a design competition for the new National Maritime Museum of China. “National Maritime Museum of China” by Cox Rayner Architects, Australia