By: Alex McClung | New York City

Great design always stands out and appeals to public recognition. Recently, the prestigious UO Cafe project, designed by renowned architectural designer Wanfang Long, has been gaining attention on the global design stage. In the 2025 Rome Design Awards announcement, UO Cafe was named a Silver Winner, standing among thousands of submissions. It is a great success for an architectural design project to receive such honorable awards. It also serves as a testimony that Wanfang Long, as an exceptional architectural designer, is leading the design industry to a brighter future and exploring the boundaries of design for people. 

Architecture as Catalyst for Community Improvement

UO Cafe’s design, spearheaded by Wanfang Long, reflects a broader vision of how architecture can serve both aesthetic and social purposes. By blending modern design elements with a focus on community engagement, the project has become a catalyst for revitalizing an area once overshadowed by urban challenges. The UO Café is located in a historically under-resourced neighborhood long affected by urban blight, including drug activity and homelessness. Conceived as a transformative, community-centered project, the design introduces a café integrated with cooking classes, a makerspace, and a greenhouse. Together, these spaces create a welcoming public environment that fosters social connection, supports personal growth, and creativity but also fosters a sense of belonging for individuals from all walks of life. Beyond its architectural presence, the project delivers tangible social and economic benefits by generating new jobs, partnering with local suppliers, and expanding access to fresh, organic food—promoting healthy living while advancing long-term sustainability and environmental responsibility. The project has been exceptionally well received, earning strong community support and broad recognition within the design industry, and has significantly strengthened fundraising efforts for the organization, marking a major milestone for the client.

Led by Wanfang Long, who led the project through all design phases, visualization, community presentations, and construction documents, the UO Café exemplifies how a carefully crafted public space can uplift an entire neighborhood, creating a lasting impact that goes beyond its physical structure. Her design approach integrates contemporary architectural language with a deep understanding of community needs, transforming a previously overlooked site into a vibrant civic anchor. The careful orchestration of programmatic elements not only enhances economic opportunity and food accessibility, but also encourages meaningful inclusion across diverse backgrounds. As the UO Café continues to garner attention globally, it serves as a model for future community-centric developments that prioritize both the well-being of individuals and the health of the environment, demonstrating how design excellence and social purpose can converge to improve lives and uplift an entire neighborhood.

Awards as Recognition of Excellence

The Rome Design Awards is dedicated to showcasing exceptional designs that set the stage for creativity and impact. The platform not only celebrates outstanding design achievements but also elevates them to a global audience.

By focusing the spotlight on the finest contributions in architecture, interior design, product design, furniture, lighting, and beyond, the Rome Design Awards aims to propel the careers of visionary designers to new heights.

The awards committee invites designers from all over the world to place their work among the best in the industry, where extraordinary talent intertwines with global opportunity.

Discover the world-class creatives, designers, and industry experts who comprise the esteemed Rome Design Awards jury panel.

Organised by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competition’s first edition received over 1,500 entries from more than 30 countries, underscoring Rome’s emergence as a respected global stage for contemporary design and innovation. 

Each juror brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective, significantly enriching the influence of the design world. The jury panel consists of global industry leaders, including Tiago Russo(CEO & Founder at Craft Design), Kourosh Salehi(Global Design Principal at LWK + PARTNERS), Jade Lee(Founder of DesignRe-explore), etc. 

The judging process is blind. All entrant information is removed from entries to prevent bias/conflict of interest. Judges score on a scale of 1-100, based on the following criteria:Creativity / Concept / Idea; Content / Brief / Objective / Planning / Execution; Visual / Design; Innovation / Functionality / Effectiveness; Impact / Memorability.

Wanfang Long’s Vision

For Wanfang, architecture is more than design; it is a tool for well-being,  equity, sustainability, and human connection. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to architecture as a public and cultural value. Contributing to spaces that uplift individuals and transform communities lies at the core of her practice and reflects her enduring purpose as an architectural designer. Through rigorous exploration and an uncompromising pursuit of quality, she strives to create spaces that elevate everyday life, foster community engagement, and demonstrate a consistently high standard of design excellence.