Emporis Skyscraper Award Winner 2018, Best Tall Building Projects News, Designs

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea wins Best Tall Building in the World – Architecture Prize

14 Dec 2018

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018 Winner

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018 – Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea

The Skyscraper of the year is Korean: Lotte World Tower wins Emporis Skyscraper Award

Hamburg, December 13, 2018 – The world’s most renowned architecture prize for skyscrapers, the Emporis Skyscraper Award, has been awarded to the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea.

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018 Winners

Every year Emporis’ (www.emporis.com) expert international jury choses the top ten skyscrapers that have been completed in the previous calendar year. The award is being given out for the 18th time.

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Baum Architects:
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea
photos © Tim Griffith

Lotte World Tower is currently South Korea’s tallest completed building and, in many ways, a skyscraper of superlatives. The 555-meter-high tower houses the world’s highest glass-bottomed observation deck. Even the elevator is record-breaking: at 600 meters per minute, it is currently the fastest in the world. The winner especially impressed the jury with its harmonious design that gives the skyscraper a soft and natural dynamic. “The design combines modern elements with classical forms from Korea’s art and cultural history, making Lotte World Tower a particularly harmonious skyscraper,” explains the jury.

Generali Tower in Milan by Zaha Hadid Architects:
Generali Tower in Milan by Zaha Hadid Architects

Generali Tower in Milan by Zaha Hadid Architects

Generali Tower in Milan by Zaha Hadid Architects

Generali Tower in Milan by Zaha Hadid Architects

Generali Tower in Milan building by architect Zaha Hadid
photos © Hufton+Crow

This year’s second place went to the Generali Tower in Milan, designed by recently deceased architect Zaha Hadid. The skyscraper’s extravagant form earned it the nickname “Lo Storto” which means the “Twisted One”. The jury especially praised the building’s high standards in terms of energy efficiency. The building has a double skin façade and a sophisticated sunscreen, which ensures excellent energy performance on each floor. Generali Tower has therefore also received LEED Platinum, the highest certification given out by the US Green Building Council.

150 North Riverside in Chicago by Goettsch Partners:
150 North Riverside in Chicago by Goettsch Partners

150 North Riverside in Chicago by Goettsch Partners
photos © Tom Rossiter

The third-placed project is 150 North Riverside in Chicago. Designed by Goettsch Partners, it is the building’s innovative and complex engineering work that stands out. The skyscraper is located next to the Chicago River on one side and several active train tracks on the other. The extremely narrow lot that the tower sits upon had been deemed impossible to build on for years due to its limited size. Goettsch Partners then came up with the tower’s daring design that features only a very small footprint while the building grows outward to its full size on the higher floors. A masterpiece of structural engineering.

Raffles City Hangzhou building, China:
Raffles City Hangzhou building

Raffles City Hangzhou building

Raffles City Hangzhou building
photographs © Hufton+Crow

Raffles City building Hangzhou
photo © Seth Powers

Raffles City Hangzhou building China
photo © Jin Xing

The Ellipse, New York, USA
The Ellipse building USA

The Ellipse building USA

The Ellipse building USA

The Ellipse building USA
photos © Royce Douglas

Azrieli Sharona, Tel Aviv, Israel:
Azrieli Sharona, Tel Aviv, Israel

Azrieli Sharona, Tel Aviv, Israel building

Azrieli Sharona Tel Aviv building
photos © Erez Gitai

River Point, Chicago, USA:
River Point Chicago high-rise building

River Point Chicago high-rise building

River Point Chicago high-rise building
photos © Tom Rossiter

Ping An Finance Center, China:
Ping An Finance Center building in China

Ping An Finance Center building in China

Ping An Finance Center building in China

Ping An Finance Center building in China
photos © Tim Griffith

Arena Tower, London, England (aka Baltimore Tower):
Arena Tower building

Arena Tower building

Arena Tower building
photos © Erez Gitai

Britam Tower, Kenya, Africa:
Britam Tower building

Britam Tower building

Britam Tower building
photos © Samuel Ndegwa

This year’s award marks the first time the prestigious award is given to a South Korean building. Surprisingly there is not a single Canadian skyscraper among the winners this time. Nevertheless there is still cause for celebration for North America: Three projects from the USA made it into Top Ten. Also for the first time in the history of the Emporis Skyscraper Award, a project from Africa is among the winners. The Britam Tower, currently one of the tallest buildings in East and Central Africa, made the 10th place.

Emporis Skyscraper Awards 2018 images / information from Emporis

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 VIA 57 West (2016) in New York City, Shanghai Tower (2015) in Shanghai, Wangjing SOHO (2014) in Beijing, China.

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018 Building Photos

Lotte World Towe Copyright: Tim Griffith

Generali Tower Copyright: Hufton+Crow

150 North Riverside Copyright: Tom Rossiter

Raffles City Hangzhou Copyright: 4a, 4b, 4c Hufton+Crow, 4d Seth Powers, 4e Jin Xing

The Ellipse Copyright: Royce Douglas

Azrieli Sharona Copyright: Erez Gitai

River Point Copyright: Tom Rossiter

Ping An Finance Center Copyright: Tim Griffith

Arena Tower Copyright: Erez Gitai

Britam Tower Copyright: Samuel Ndegwa

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2018 Winners

Top Ten High-Rise Buildings in the World

1. Lotte World Tower
More information: Lotte World Tower (Emporis)
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Baum Architects
Tallest building in South Korea.
Lotte World Tower houses the world’s fastest elevators.
It’s home to the world’s highest glass-bottomed observation deck. The observation deck has a two story-high glass window for an uninterrupted view.
Lotte World Tower has the world’s highest swimming pool in a building, on the 85th floor.
The tower is named after a nearby amusement park, which is known as Lotte World.
2. Generali Tower
More information: Generali Tower (Emporis)
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Nickname is Lo Storto which means “The twisted one”.
The tower hosts offices of the insurance company Generali.
It is part of the development in Milan called City Life. This project involves three skyscrapers with different usages. It’s due to be completed in 2020.
It has been certified as LEED platinum by the US green building council.
3. 150 North Riverside
More information 150 North Riverside (Emporis)
Architect: Goettsch Partners, Inc.
Building features an extensive green roof system.
Nickname is The Tuning Fork.
Features only a very small footprint while the building grows outward to its full size on the higher floors

4. Raffles City Hangzhou
More information: Raffles City Hangzhou (Emporis)
Architect: UNStudio
The project is currently the largest single complex completed by UNStudio.
The design of the project is reminiscent of the movement of a river.
The towers are connected by a six-story podium and landscaped plaza.
5. The Ellipse
More information: The Ellipse (Emporis)
Architects: Arquitectonica, Haines Lundberg Waehler
The building offers fantastic views from the apartments out onto the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline.
The darker fenestration of the building represents a river.
The surrounding area includes the park Newport Green which is home to the only urban beach at Hudson River.
6. Azrieli Sharona
More information: Azrieli Sharona (Emporis)
Architects: David Azrieli Group, Moshe Zur Architects and Town Planners Ltd.
It’s currently the tallest building in Israel.
Tower twists around two different axes.
Situated in the heart of Tel Aviv’s business and tourism center.
7. River Point
More information: River Point (Emporis)
Architects: Pickard Chilton Architects, Inc.
LEED Gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The convex surface captures natural light for the interior and also provides panoramic views for the residents on the higher floors.
The land on which this tower stands is known as River Point because it lies at the point where the North and South branches of the Chicago River form.
8. Ping An International Finance Center
More information:  Ping An International Finance Center (Emporis)
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, China Construction Design International
The world’s tallest office building and currently the 4th tallest in the world.
The Skyscraper is named after Ping An Insurance Company, which is one of the world’s biggest investment companies. “Ping An” literally means “safe and well.”
Has a characteristic pyramid structure on the top.
9. Arena Tower
More information: Arena Tower (Emporis)
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
It offers fantastic panoramic London views for the residents.
The tower houses London’s largest residential gym.
The balconies’ rotation produces the building’s undulating form.
10. Britam Tower
More information: Britam Tower (Emporis)
Architect: GAPP Architects Western Cape, Triad Architects
Tallest building in Kenya and one of highest structures in East and Central Africa.
The building features a prismatic shape.
The turbines on the top generate electricity and contribute to the sustainability of the building.

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2016 – VIA 57 West
VIA 57 West New York City
VIΛ 57 West New York City
photo © Iwan Baan
Emporis Skyscraper Award 2016

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2015 Winner – Shanghai Tower, China
Shanghai Tower building
photo © Connie Zhou
Emporis Skyscraper Award 2015

Emporis

Location:West 57th Street, New York

Emporis Skyscraper Award Past Winners

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2014

Wangjing SOHO in Beijing, China
Design: Zaha Hadid Architects
Emporis Skyscraper Award 2014
image from www.emporis.com
Emporis Skyscraper Award 2014

Emporis Skyscraper Award 2012

Absolute World Towers, Canada
Design: MAD and Burka Architects
Absolute World Towers
photo © Edvard Mahnic
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