Winner: Landscape project of the year 2021 Chinese studio Waa has refurbished an existing 1970's warehouse complex for grain storage supported by a transport facility in the north of Beijing.

The space is for a children's healthcare provider specialising in movement development for a broad range of age groups.

Children are often passive in decision-making scenarios and play is the only usually the only time of day which they can control.

The focus for this refurbishment was to address the missing elements of inner-city dwelling, namely a functioning neighbourhood. Balance is taken for granted until challenged, Waa aimed for the building to become a tool for sensory learning. The iconography of the project becomes about the activity, to nudge children to imagine and feel what they see as the limits to their own adventure.

Judges comments: "This remarkable project gives new life to an existing industrial complex by adding a new landscape and play area for children. The climbable undulating topographic approach combined with pies and slides encourages children to play safely and freely whilst extending their imagination and providing a new approach to safe play spaces in urban contexts."

Architect: Waa (we architech anonymous)
Project: Back to the Neighbourhood: The Playscape, children's community centre