Simba Vision Montessori School named best building as Dezeen Awards architecture winners announced

Elisa Barkan | 28 November 2023

Simba Vision Montessori School has been named Dezeen Awards 2023 architecture project of the year following the announcement of all 15 architecture winners at this evening's ceremony.

The 15 winners awarded in Dezeen's annual awards programme are located in 10 different countries including Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Tanzania and Spain.

Simba Vision Montessori School crowned architecture project of the year

Simba Vision Montessori School by Architectural Pioneering Consultants and Wolfgang Rossbauer won architecture project of the year, sponsored by Material Bank. It was also named education project of the year.

The architecture master jury picked the school in Tanzania made from local materials as it addresses "the major challenges of our time".

"This exemplary building manages to do the most with the least," said the judges. "A truly sustainable project with a very limited budget, the building provides a much-needed educational space for the local community that is responsive to people, place and purpose."

"The Dezeen Awards judging criteria are 'beautiful', 'innovative' and 'beneficial', and this project exemplifies all three of these qualities like no other," they said.

Simba Montessori School — The two-storey school with intersecting blockwork walls won architecture project of the year

The winning school was up against projects that included a barrel-vaulted metro station made from handmade bricks in Iran, a refurbished concrete framed brewery in Shenzhen and a guesthouse nestled in the hillside of an island in Japan.

A community space built from reclaimed masonry in a marginalised area of Mexico City, a nine-building work campus set within a garden landscape and a linear park with retroactive infrastructure were three winning projects located in Mexico.

View the winning architecture projects on the Dezeen Awards website or read below:

Architecture project of the year and education project of the year: Simba Vision Montessori School by Architectural Pioneering Consultants and Wolfgang Rossbauer

The winning architecture project of the year is a school in rural Tanzania that draws on the Montessori principles it teaches – a method of teaching based on play and hands-on activities.

Simba Vision Montessori School features stepped entrances and interconnected spaces to encourage active learning. The building's blockwork walls were formed of local volcanic rock and sand, while the roof is made of zinc, which acts as both a sunshade and a rainwater harvester.

According to the architecture master jury, the project is "both a radical proposition and a template for schools of this type".

"The clear, structured order of the plan feels generous and intuitive in access and circulation," said the jury. "The simple arrangement of rooms is well-proportioned while the principle of disconnecting the walls and roof creates a low-cost and passive ventilation solution."

"An inventive and community-engaged approach to materials is both sensitive and appropriate, which results in a building that feels robust yet welcoming and is clearly of its place."

Spruce House by ao-ft — Photo by Rory Gardiner

Urban house of the year: Spruce House and Studio by Ao-ft

A cross-laminated timber three-bedroom house in Walthamstow, London, by local practice Ao-ft won urban house of the year. Spruce House is a two-storey home informed by the area's history as a village high street with a shop-like facade shielded by a screen of timber battens.

"Presenting a distinctive yet coherent facade to the street, and an expressive volumetric cascading composition to the rear, this new house is an example of building sustainably with timber," said the judges.

"Thoughtfully designed and beautifully detailed, the building is in continuity with its context," they continued. "A self-build project that exemplifies where design makes a difference to the quality of architecture."

Highly commended: Labri by Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates

Located in the city of Hue, Vietnam, Labri is a 55-square-metre home by local practice Nguyen Khai Architects & Associates.

The one-floor living space populated with greenery was commissioned by a couple for a site by a pond.

"This inventive project makes the most of its small plot in Hue, Vietnam, to create a unique home for an older couple, which connects them to nature and provides practical but fun living spaces to ensure their retirement is far from boring," said the judges.

Exterior of Mud House by Sketch Design Studio — Photo by Jeevan Jyot. Shoot styling by Rahul Kukreja

Rural house of the year: Mud House by Sketch Design Studio

Local practice Sketch Design Studio won rural house of the year for its farmhouse in northern India that combines rammed earth walls and a thatch roof. The single-storey home in Rajasthan features overlapped staircases which reference historic Indian step wells, characterised by grids of crisscrossing diagonal staircases.

"Looking backwards to see the future, this house engages with traditional local building techniques to make architecture that is proportioned around thoughtful patterns of living and characterful, expressive materials," said the master jury.

"The project exemplifies a sustainable approach to contemporary residential architecture that fits harmoniously with its place and community."

Nightingale Village by Architecture Architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball and Kennedy Nolan — Photo by Tom Ross

Housing project of the year: Nightingale Village by Architecture Architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball and Kennedy Nolan

An affordable housing development constructed in pigmented precast concrete panels in Melbourne won housing project of the year.

The housing development typology was created under the Nightingale development model, which aims to design residential projects that are "environmentally, socially and financially sustainable".

"This project exemplifies a new approach to housing, with a focus on society, community and wellbeing," said the jury.

"With an emphasis on cooperative design to address the challenges of housing in our cities, the project presents different typologies for different types of people and families living together," they continued.

"The collaboration of the six architects on the project has added richness to the variety of materials and spaces, which are both generous and humane."

This category is sponsored by Gaggenau.

Highly commended: Park Hill Phase 2 by Mikhail Riches

Stirling Prize-winning studio Mikhail Riches was highly commended for the latest phase of the redevelopment of Park Hill estate in Sheffield. The contemporary residences are housed in four flanks of the brutalist Grade II*-listed building and were revamped with bold-coloured panels.

"This project takes an icon of post-war British housing and infuses it with new life," said the master jury.

"It is a great example of what can be done to preserve and enhance existing buildings to create a high-quality place to live, rather than knocking something down and starting from scratch."

House renovation of the year: El Priorato by Atienza Maure Arquitectos

Spanish studio Atienza Maure Arquitectos won house renovation of the year for its refurbished 16-century clergy holiday home in Burgos, Spain.

El Priorator, or The Priory, was restored and extended with new white concrete elements after burning down last year. The master jury commended the contemporary use of materials and forms sensitive to the building's heritage.

"This house presents a compelling and sensitive approach to the restoration of an existing building where the understanding of and care for its existing fabric and context is evident in the architectural approach," said the judges.

"The project strikes a careful balance between new and old, with restrained modern interventions creating a confident order of spaces around new patterns of living," they continued. "The new structures both contrast to and create a positive tension with the restored buildings."

One-storey building with a red steel frame and concrete and wood walls extending out of a hillside — Photo by Kenta Hasegawa

House extension of the year: Dokubo+El Amigo by Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects

Dokubo+El Amigo is a guesthouse and bar nestled into a hill on the coast of an island in the Seto Inland Sea by Japanese studio Schemata Architects.

The extension comprises two new additions to accompany an existing house further up the hill: a guesthouse for children called Dokubo and a separate lounge and bar space with a bunker-like appearance for adults called El Amigo.

The master jury described the house extension of the year as a "thoughtful series of structures that are between landscape and architecture".

"As disconnected elements, the building forces the visitor to connect nature and the rituals and routines of living, while a sensitive and unique series of materials brings a humane emphasis to the wonderful landscape and views beyond," they said.

Interior of Lea Bridge Library by Studio Weave — Photo by Jim Stephenson

Civic project of the year: Lea Bridge Library Extension by Studio Weave

A wood-lined community centre with a red-concrete colonnade informed by the original grade II-listed redbrick building in east London won civic project of the year.

Architecture practice Studio Weave added a new community wing to Lea Bridge Library in Waltham Forest, overlooking a large green space through a fully-glazed facade. The narrow, pavilion-like extension has a long wood-lined interior, designed for a range of uses, including quiet reading rooms and activity spaces for community groups.

"A socially inclusive design, the new building creates a series of rooms that are sensitive, warm and inviting," said the master jury.

"Despite a modest budget, the building sustainably creates meaningful and important facilities, which are a gift to the community of this place."

Rammed-earth arts centre in Kampala — Photo by Tim Latim

Cultural project of the year: 32° East Arts Centre by New Makers Bureau and Localworks

A community arts space in Uganda by London architecture practice New Makers Bureau in collaboration with Ugandan design firm Localworks won cultural project of the year.

Located in Kabalagala, a central district of Kampala, 32° East Arts Centre is a community art space built with rammed earth walls and earth bricks.

According to the judges, the building is rightly suited to its environment and exemplifies "the value of local production and construction techniques."

"The formal reinterpretation of the asymmetrical pitched roof is both new, playful and spatially complex," said the judges.

"Based on a sensitive climatological understanding of the place, the building is composed of rich materials with sensitive and contextual approaches to construction."

Highly commended: Bundanon Art Museum & The Bridge by Kerstin Thompson Architects and Atelier Ten

Australian practice Kerstin Thompson Architects designed additional facilities for the Bundanon Art Museum in New South Wales, including a flood bridge containing residences and educational spaces.

The cluster of buildings is built to withstand the landscape's conditions, pushing the museum underground and raising the education centre on a flood bridge.

The judges said: "A series of sensitive and elegant additions to the landscape, this project responds to flood and fire risks in a way that promotes ecological awareness and creates generous spaces for living and learning."

Workplace project of the year: Campus Betterware Guadalajara (CBG) by Estudio MMX

Local architecture firm Estudio MMX won workplace project of the year for Campus Betterware Guadalajara, a large campus for a houseware company in Mexico.

The project totalling 15,000 square metres, houses administrative space and a series of warehouses for shipping, receiving, sorting and storage, as well as worker amenities and low-maintenance gardens.

"In a typology that is often overlooked by architects, the warehouse, distribution facilities and associated workspaces in this project have been designed as a more human-centred series of spaces for the workers," said the master jury.

"The project balances the industrial efficiency of the warehouse with a clear spatial and structural order," they continued.

"Its arrangement and creative use of standard structural elements result in playful and visually interesting spaces that serve to make the mundane humane."

This category is sponsored by Lualdi.

Health and wellbeing project of the year: Lumi Shala by Ibuku Studio

A yoga meditation space in Bali, Indonesia, featuring a petal-shaped roof clad in copper shingles won health and wellbeing project of the year.

The building by local studio Ibuku is constructed from bamboo and is designed in collaboration with Kul Kul Farm, Bamboo Pure and structural engineering firm Atelier One.

"A simple and elemental shelter, this pavilion is primarily a meeting place for yoga and wellbeing but also acts as a symbolic marker within the landscape," said the judges.

"The interior forms create light and airy spaces for activity, which amplify the material qualities of the primary structure to create interest and delight."

Highly commended: Alzheimer's Village by Nord Architects

Copenhagen studio Nord Architects was highly commended for its village for people living with dementia in Dax, France.

The design takes cues from the urban layout of Dax's old town to create a sense of familiarity for its residents, featuring a "market square" wrapped by concrete arcades at its centre.

"This project is generous to both patients and healthcare workers, offering a new typology for dementia care," said the master jury.

Heritage project of the year: Kingway Brewery Renovation by Urbanus Architecture & Design

Architecture firm Urbanus won heritage project of the year for its series of industrial concrete-framed structures revamped into a cultural centre.

The local office connected the old buildings of the former Kingway Brewery in Shenzhen, China, via extensions and aerial walkways.

"This project is a rare example of industrial heritage being celebrated and preserved by converting it into a public space that serves the local community," said the master jury.

"The design deftly handles the contrast between new and old elements and, despite the huge site, the architects have managed to create intimate pockets of space within it."

Highly commended: Clifford's Tower by Hugh Broughton Architects

UK studio Hugh Broughton Architects was highly commended for its refurbishment of the 800-year-old Clifford's Tower in York, England.

Commissioned by English Heritage, the project aimed at limiting further damage to the 13-century landmark, which was gutted by fire in 1684.

The judges said: "This sensitive renovation of a 13th-century tower successfully preserves the historic fabric of the building while providing new ways for visitors to experience the ancient structure."

Swooping roof of the Dapi Mountain Restaurant by Galazy Arch — Photo by Lv Xiaobin

Hospitality project of the year: Dapi Mountain Restaurant by Galaxy Arch

Dapi Mountain Restaurant by Chinese studio Galaxy Arch was named hospitality project of the year. The building located at the peak of the Dapishan Scenic Area features a sweeping roof informed by traditional clay sculptures called Gugu birds.

"This project's response to its site is exquisite," said the judges. "The treatment of the roof is very elegant, a poetic synthesis of old and new that is exuberant without being flashy."

"The building makes a unique formal gesture that feels natural and nods to the vernacular architecture in a confident and contemporary way that complements both the existing buildings and the surrounding landscape."

Infrastructure and transport project of the year: Jahad Metro Plaza by KA Architecture Studio

A metro station with barrel-vaulted brick enclosures in central Tehran was awarded infrastructure and transport project of the year.

The new entrance for the Meydan E-Jahad metro station by Iranian studio KA Architecture is part of a wider initiative to pedestrianise the city and reclaim the metro as an open, public space.

"This project creates generous public spaces using handmade bricks made from locally sourced materials by local craftspeople," said the master jury.

"Beautifully crafted, the building makes good use of natural light and ventilation to create a welcoming civic space in what would commonly be a much colder and more utilitarian structure."

Kithara Music Kiosk in Mexico City — Photo by Jaime Navarro

Small project of the year: Kithara Music Public Kiosk by C733

Mexican studio TO Arquitectura won small project of the year for its vaulted music pavilion made from donated masonry in Mexico City.

Named Kithara Music Kiosk, the school is located in the Yuguelito neighbourhood of Iztapalapa, a part of the city which experiences high levels of violence. An earthquake in 1985 destroyed the area and the community has since been working to rebuild the residential sites.

"Although very small, this project has had a huge social and cultural impact within a densely populated area," said the jury.

"Built from materials from the site, the primary arch is orientated to the views of the mountains, a simple but effective way to link the city to its context," they continued.

"Its cultural and performative uses provide opportunities for a diverse neighbourhood to engage and benefit from this important small building."

Heroes boulevard Mexico — Photo by Rafael Gamo

Mixed-use project of the year: Héroes de Tecamac Rambla by Taller Capital

The renovation of a vacant median located in an urban area north of Mexico City won mixed-use project of the year. The linear park by architecture studio Taller Capital comprises an elevated walkway strewn with recreational areas made with materials which facilitate water retention and dust mitigation.

"An important project for the local community, the strong social values behind the master plan for this new park are self-evident," said the architecture master jury.

"Creating recreational and social spaces for neighbouring housing is an important approach to making good cities for people for generations to come."

Dezeen Awards 2023

Dezeen Awards celebrates the world's best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent.