Emporis Skyscraper Award Winner 2015, Best Tall Buildings, Projects, News, Designs

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2015

Best Tall Building in the World – Architecture Prize

30 Nov 2017

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2016 Winner

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2016 – Best new skyscraper stands in New York City

Hamburg, November 30, 2017 – The winner of the annual Emporis Skyscraper Award for the best new Skyscraper of the year is spectacular 34-story residential building VIA 57 West in New York City, USA.

VIA 57 West New York City

photo © Iwan Baan

The winner was picked by an international panel of experts from a worldwide pool of more than 700 eligible skyscrapers which were completed in 2016 and are at least 100 meters tall.

photo © Iwan Baan

The award, given by Emporis (www.emporis.com), the leading international provider of building data, is being presented for the 17th time this year.

photograph © Royce Douglas

The pyramid shaped winner, designed by the Danish architects BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, was recognized by the award jury for its fascinating and extraordinary shape which breaks new ground in design.

photo © Royce Douglas

VIA 57 West is a hybrid between an European perimeter block and a classic American skyscraper. “It’s impressive how the architect rethinks the whole idea of a skyscraper. The building is a fantastic addition to the New York skyline”, one jury member said.

photo © Royce Douglas

Claiming the second place is Torre Reforma from Mexico City, Mexico. With a height of 245 meters, it is Mexico City’s tallest skyscraper and also the world’s tallest exposed concrete structure.

photograph © Alfonso Merchand

The jury specifically praises the intelligent environmental solution for a skyscraper. The building is composed of two exposed concrete walls and one main glass façade.

photo © Alfonso Merchand

The concrete walls protect the interior from direct sunlight and reduces the cooling load. Mexico City is known for its high seismic activity.

photo © Alfonso Merchand

For this reason, Torre Reforma has a triangular footprint and combined with the latest engineering knowledge, it is supposed to withstand heavy winds and earthquakes for the next 2,500 years.

photograph © K. Kopter WOHA Architects Pte. Ltd

In third place the expert jury voted Oasia Hotel Downtown, in Singapore. The project stands out with a remarkable red façade and 21 different species of plants in 1793 planter boxes turning into an urban oasis.

photo © K. Kopter WOHA Architects Pte. Ltd

The facade is overgrown with different vines to ensure the building’s facade is always lush and resilient during different weather conditions. Moreover, the tower offers four open sky gardens which allows wind to pass through the building for good ventilation.

This year buildings from Asia dominate the Top 10 of the Emporis Skyscraper Award. The winners‘ list cotains a total of five Asian projects. New York City, known as the world capital of high-rise architecture, wins the award for the fourth time. The Sofitel in New York was the very first building to receive the sought-after award back in 2000.

MahaNakhon skyscraper building:

photo © Alexander Roan

Elbphilharmonie Building in Hamburg:

photograph © Tim Bindels

photo © Tim Bindels

56 Leonard Street NYC tower building:

photo © Matt Clarke CC BY 2.0

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre tower:

photo © Tim Griffith

The L Tower building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

photo © Edvard Mahnic

photo © Edvard Mahnic

Beijing Greenland Dawangjing Tower:

photo © Lv Hengzong

photo © Lv Hengzong

Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower building:

photo © Oscar Hirata

photo © Oscar Hirata

About Emporis
Emporis is a leading database of information about building and construction projects, based in Germany. For over a decade Emporis has helped companies, organizations and individuals stay informed about the building industry. The Emporis Skyscraper Award is the world’s most renowned prize for high-rise architecture.

About the Award
The Emporis Skyscraper Award has been given since 2000. The jury is formed of architecture experts from all over the world, who judge nominated buildings according to aesthetic and functional design criteria. Previous winners include Shanghai Tower (2015) in Shanghai, Wangjing SOHO (2014) in Beijing, and The Shard in London (2013).

Emporis Skyscraper Awards 2016 images / information from Emporis

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018