NPO Aoyama Design Forum (ADF), a non-profit organization, announced the results of the judging for the "ADF Design Award 2025", an award for architects from around the world, and has decided on the Grand Prize-winning work and the Category Excellence Award. The Grand Prize went to Boris Bežan (BAX studio), Mara Partida (Mendoza Partida studio). Hector Mendoza (Mendoza Partida studio, Maria Mestres  (Mestres Wåge architects) and Magnus Wåge (Mestres Wåge architects). The Excellence Award went to Sofia Fors (Fors Arkitekter) and Fernando Menis. Congratulations to all the winners.

This award is a significant design award with a total prize of USD 50,000 and the juries of world-renowned figures in the architecture and design industry. The winners will have the opportunity to attend the award ceremony in Milan during the Milano Salone starting April 8, 2025, and to exhibit their works in collaboration with the Milan Architects Association's Best Graduation Award for Polytechnic University of Milan students and interior design company GARDE. We would like to thank all those who entered the competition and all those who supported the organization of the competition. 

GRAND PRIZE: Boris Bežan (BAX studio), Mara Partida (Mendoza Partida studio). Hector Mendoza (Mendoza Partida studio, Maria Mestres  (Mestres Wåge architects) and Magnus Wåge (Mestres Wåge architects)

Category: Cultural Buildings
Title: Kunstsilo

Boris Bežan (BAX studio), Mara Partida (Mendoza Partida studio), Hector Mendoza (Mendoza Partida studio, Maria Mestres (Mestres Wåge architects), and Magnus Wåge (Mestres Wåge architects)

Kunstsilo

Kunstsilo

Three architectural studios based in Barcelona have been collaborating for over a decade on various projects and competitions. Coming from diverse backgrounds yet sharing a common vision and passion for architecture, their collective expertise is enriched by international experience. The principal architects of the three studios have studied in countries such as England, Mexico, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain, bringing a diverse architectural perspective. Their international backgrounds allow them to approach design with a unique, global insight, blending different cultural and contextual influences into their work.

The Kunstsilo proposal harnesses all the expressive power of a silo… The project strikes an elegant balance by combining respect for the qualities of the silo building with an imaginative attitude to the inherently sculptural and special experiences it offers. With a few cuts into the interior of the silo, an understated yet monumental volume is opened up with controlled top-lighting that gives the future museum a strong and unique character.

Category: Education & Sports
Title: Maatulli School and Kindergarten

Sofia Fors

Maatulli School and Kindergarten

Maatulli School and Kindergarten

Sofia Fors is an award-winning architect and the founder of Fors Arkitekter, a Copenhagen-based architecture studio. After earning her Master’s degree in Architecture from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, she gained international experience at renowned architectural practises, including BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, before establishing her own practice.

Fors Arkitekter quickly gained recognition by winning the international competition for Maatulli School and Kindergarten in Finland, which has received numerous awards for its innovative, timber-based learning environment. Dedicated to designing architecture that enriches lives and respects planetary boundaries, Fors Arkitekter integrates building and landscape into cohesive designs rooted in context and Nordic tradition. Their work spans a variety of scales and typologies, from private residences to large public projects, always with a focus on creating architecture that has a lasting, positive impact on both people and the environment.

Category: Cultural Buildings
Title: Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas

Fernando Menis ©Bartek Barczyk

The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas ©Roland Halbe

The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas ©Hisao Suzuki

Fernando Menis (1951, Spain) is an awarded architect with over 40 years of experience, renowned for his innovative variable acoustics system in Poland’s CKK Jordanki (2015). Notable works include the Church of the Holy Redeemer, El Tanque Art Centre, Magma Art&Congress, the Spree Floating Pool in Berlin, the HQ of the Canary Islands Government in Tenerife. Ongoing projects are the Adaptive Reuse of the Viera y Clavijo Cultural Park and the Art Museum Park Seo-Bo. His work has been exhibited at La Biennale di Venezia and is in MoMA’s permanent collection.

The compound, comprising a church, community center, and a public square, was built over fifteen years, and mirrors the transformation of its 1970s neighborhood, serving as a catalyst for urban renewal and a landmark within a fragmented urban landscape. Funded through donations, its irregular flow determined the design and phased construction: two of the four structures housing the community center were completed and operational by 2008, while funds were raised for the remaining parts. Inspired by the volcanic landscape, it features massive, rough forms, with narrow cracks between structures that filter daylight creating a minimalist, spiritual interior. Concrete, chosen for versatility, serves as structure, form, texture, and acoustics. Innovatively used, chipped concrete mixed with volcanic stones absorbs sound and, alongside smooth or rough exposed concrete, achieves a sophisticated sound control, comparable to an opera house.

Joe Chan / Principal of Designtone Interior Practice
Alberto Bortolotti / Vice President of the Order of Architects of Milano
Chatpong Chuenrudeemol / Director of Chat Architects
Keat Ong / Principal of Keat Ong Design, President of Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA)
Ed Ng / Co-Founder & Principal of AB Concept
Duangrit Bunnag / Design Director and Founder of DUANGRIT BUNNAG ARCHITECT LIMITED
Dawn Lim / Executive Director of Design Singapore Council (Dsg)
Sanmitra Chitte / Dean of World University of Design and President of Association of Designers of India (Delhi NCR)
Michael Green / Founder & Principal of Michael Green Architecture
Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA, LEED AP, AUA, the Director of Campus Planning, University at Buffalo

1. Beauty: Artistic value in shape, color, detailing, and material selection.
2. Innovation: Socially responsive, using new materials, innovative processes, and pioneering designs.
3. Usefulness: Benefit to users and sustainability for the environment.
4. Regional / Cultural / Chronological Context: Fit with regional and cultural backgrounds and contemporary trends.

Grand Award: 30,000 US dollars (1 work from all categories)
Excellence Award: 5,000 US dollars (2 works from all categories)

There may be a case that some awards are considered as "not applicable".

・The Grand Award and Excellence Award winners will have their works exhibited at the ADF venue in Fuori Salone during the "Milano Salone (Salone Internazionale del Mobile)"
・Aoyama Design Forum will cover up to USD 1,000 for set-up costs
・The winners will have the opportunity to be exhibited at the Metaverse Museum "COCO WARP" run by ADF
・The winners will have the opportunity to be exhibited at the ADF gallery space in Aoyama, Tokyo
・The grand prize winner will receive PR support from the ADF Business Matching Division for one year