In a stunning upset, Darlington Public School in Chippendale, Sydney, surpassed iconic global landmarks to win the World Building of the Year 2024 at Singapore’s World Architecture Festival (WAF).
The school, which opened last fall, competed against 220 designs and emerged victorious. Its design features a unique angular brick structure with a “sawtooth” roof, a basketball court, and a community garden. Curved metal screens ensure privacy while allowing natural light into the terraces.
The architects from FJC Design & Construction redesigned the outdated 1970s building to support modern educational needs, blending new learning environments with the original campus’s spirit.
The new facility, which has a capacity of over 500, accommodates preschool through primary school students. Construction occurred in two phases, allowing classes to continue during the building process.
Alessandro Rossi, an associate at fjcstudio, expressed humility over the win: “It’s a small school project, so winning at WAF against larger projects highlights the impact of client and community involvement in our design. The true beneficiaries are the children who will enjoy this enriching space for years.”
The 17th WAF featured awards in 18 categories, including sports and housing, with 175 delegates choosing winners. One winner was then crowned World Building of the Year.
Projects competing included the National Star Observatory in Cyprus and a solar power plant in Turkey. This year’s decision marks WAF judges’ second consecutive selection of an educational building, following a tranquil boarding school in China last year. Previous titles went to a senior citizens’ residence in Singapore and a Danish power plant with a ski slope.
