The Royal Academy Dorfman Award celebrates new international architectural talent with four finalists – AAU Anastas Architects based in Palestine and France, AOR Architects from Finland, BCKJ Architects from China and WHBC Architects from Malaysia.

These relatively small architectural practices demonstrate a focus on context, natural environment and local materials, with their projects enhancing and respecting locations and creating quality places, rather than trying to achieve architectural and structural acrobatics as we see too often today in the larger developments in our cities.  Let’s hope this Award re-energises the debate of the role of architecture to its context and communities and the creation of quality spaces as well as great buildings.

The overall winner will be announced in a week’s time.