Join us
for a celebration
of architecture in Asia Pacific
RAFA is an ambitious international event that will create a platform to discuss and share the critical issues of architecture and the built environment. RAFA will culminate in a celebration of the best of architecture in Asia at the RIBA International Awards gala dinner.
Under the prestigious banner of RIBA, RAFA will bring together leading architects, visionary clients, educators, urban thinkers, and design innovators, to debate and shape the future of architecture from Asia and beyond.
RAFA is a unique opportunity to celebrate outstanding design, share innovative ideas and champion excellence in architecture and urban design
RIBA Architecture Festival Asia X Connexion Shenzhen
RIBA Architecture Festival Asia (RAFA) will be held concurrently with the 3rd Connexion Shenzhen. Driven by the rapid economic growth of the Greater Bay Area, Connexion Shenzhen has established itself as a pan-industrial trade platform spanning F&B, hospitality and commercial space, furniture, health, and lifestyle sectors, with far-reaching influence across Southeast Asia. The combined exhibition will span 300,000 sqm, attracting 3,000+ exhibitors and 200,000+ global professional visitors. The Architecture & Building Materials Pavilion will gather leading suppliers, engineering firms, and innovators to showcase cutting-edge solutions in green materials, smart construction, and sustainable design, empowering industry transformation.
RIBA awards celebrate the world’s best architecture, no matter its form, size, or budget. Respected by our profession and the public for over 50 years, these awards stand out for their unrivalled judging and global reach.
We recognise projects that show visionary thinking, design excellence and real social impact that ultimately help make the future a better place.
Winning a RIBA Award signals the highest standards of innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to improving people’s lives through thoughtful design.
We’re launching two new awards: RIBA Asia Pacific Awards and RIBA Middle East Awards reflecting the rapid growth, innovation and creativity in architecture in these regions.
See the full list of categories, eligible countries, and entry requirements.
Why attend?
RAFA festival programme
We are also devoting a segment to Future Talent of the profession where we will deliver the hugely popular ‘Interface’ event for architecture schools, academics, teachers and students of the 12 RIBA validated schools and other in Asia.
On Day 2, we will bring policy makers, agencies and architects together to discuss how decision makers can shape policy and drive innovation to achieve the SDGs, with the aim that future policies will underpin design.
These sessions will cover resilience, human-centric design and AI in placemaking and from a design, policy and delivery perspective.
There will be 10 new categories for the RIBA International Awards, that move away from the traditional building typologies towards a more thematic approach.
The shortlisted projects from these categories, provide the content for a series of live design reviews that will take place in tandem with the symposium. Shortlisted schemes will be reviewed through interactive and engaging panel sessions, open to all delegates and led by a high profile and respected panel.
learn more
The two-day symposium will culminate in a spectacular gala dinner to celebrate the winners of the newly launched RIBA international Awards for Asia Pacific.
Finally, each day of RAFA will close with an inspirational session covering a design or approach that pushes the boundaries of architecture. This session will inspire, challenge and engage the audience with what might be possible for the future of the built environment.
To showcase the world leading RIBA architecture collection, we will curate a digital exhibition of stunning photography and images from the RIBA Robert Elwall photograph collection, just a fraction of the 1.5m that the RIBA cares for.
In additional, RIBA China chapter will present ‘She is an Architect’ to champion the role of women in design.
We are working with our trusted partners to host a CPD Expo with specifiers and suppliers to support delivery of high quality systems and products that help architects deliver excellence in their schemes.
RIBA is targeting the best global talent to lead this in-augural event. As a global leader in architecture excellence, we aim to bring the best minds together for an unforgettable festival of exchange, inspiration and collaboration.
Explore insights and findings of RIBA Horizons 2034, a horizon scanning programme which imparts valuable foresight into significant developments that are emerging internationally.
The sessions will develop the thinking on the RIBA Future trends on issues such as AI, population and economics of the built environment. The discourse from these sessions be captured and brought together in the RIBA Journal published symposium report with key insights and recommendations.
Ticket options
Ticket Discounts and Eligibility
CONTACT
Awards
awards@riba.org
Symposium
emma.england@riba.org
umi.lyu@riba.org
wendy.leung@riba.org
Exhibitor and Sponsorship
chinaoffice@riba.org
Helen.Du@imsinoexpo.com
