Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park wins international award

Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park, designed by the New York firm Weiss/Manfredi, won the nature category of the World Architecture Awards in Barcelona, beating 15 international finalists, including museums, schools, residential complexes and other projects engaging the natural world. Judges chose it for outstanding architectural and landscape design as well as the park's ability to "transform the city."

Other category winners are

• Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Centre in China, designed by the Belgian firm Buro II, for best civic building.

• Oslo Opera House, designed by the Norwegian firm SNØHETTA, for best culture building.

• La Vall d´en Joan near Barcelona, by Spanish firm Batlle and Roig Architects, won in the energy, waste & recycling category.

• Centre pour le Bien-être des Femmes (African women's health centre) in Burkina Faso, Africa, by Italian firm FAREstudio, won in the health category.

• Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre, in Canada, designed by Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects, was honored in the holiday category.

• Mountain Dwellings, a development in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Danish firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, was named best housing development.

• An addition to Luigi Bocconi University, Milan, by Irish firm Grafton Architects won in the learning category.

The grand prize winner for the year, chosen from among the category winners, will be announced at a ceremony Friday, Oct. 24, in Barcelona.

Sheila Farr: sfarr@seattletimes.com