Benoy celebrates three projects shortlisted for the WAF 2026 Awards

We are delighted to announce that three of our projects have been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2026 Awards, with recognition across both completed buildings and future projects.

Shortlisted in the WAF Completed Buildings — Mixed-Use category, our design of Wuhan’s Alibaba Center in China establishes Alibaba’s second largest headquarters campus. Covering 450,000m², the development introduces a new mixed-use model to Wuhan’s Xudong Business District. Designed to LEED Gold and 3‑Star Green Building standards, it creates a district where corporate infrastructure functions as a shared urban amenity.

In the WAF Future Projects — Masterplanning category, City Walk in Abuja, Nigeria for MAG Group Limited has also been recognised. Spanning 220 hectares, the masterplan forms an ecological spine that follows the existing creek along the city’s airport corridor. Taking a sponge city approach to stormwater management and designed with hydrology at its core, the project delivers blue-green infrastructure that reduces flood risk, improves water quality, and supports year-round public use.

Completing our shortlist is BION in Almaty, Kazakhstan, for BI Development South, recognised in the WAF Future Projects — Commercial Mixed-Use category. Located in the foothills of the Tian Shan mountain range, the mixed-use development responds to city-wide height constraints that preserve the site’s connection to nature. With green coverage across more than one-third of the site and its continuous spiral form, the project creates a vibrant, dynamic experience that supports both the local economy and the city’s relationship with its natural landscape.

Congratulations to everyone involved in these outstanding projects.