designed by Ryan Browne, Nathanael Dunn, Daniel Nelson, Benjamin Scholten
United States

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One of the most prevalent forms of pollution in cities comes from noise, a pollutant often overlooked and rarely considered harmful. Sound in its simplest sense is energy, which is not lost to nothingness upon absorption, but is transformed into new energy. This resultant energy is usually heat, which is potentially contributing to the rising issue of global warming. As population and noise productions continue to increase, so will the amount of resultant heat, which will increase the Earth’s average temperature. Read the rest of this entry »

designed by Philipp von Bock
Germany

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The Spiral Tower is a family friendly skyscraper inspired by the advantages of living in the suburbs. Its main objective is to provide a green community in the middle of Berlin for families who desire the best of both worlds. The building is equipped with solar panels, wind turbines, and water recollection and purification systems. The housing units are stacked in opposite directions to create terraces and open spaces for every apartment. Outdoor and recreational areas are distributed throughout the entire complex. Read the rest of this entry »

Mixer Skyscraper in Warsaw

By:  | April - 8 - 2010

Tomasz Olszewski
Poland

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Located along the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland, the Mixer Skyscraper is a mixed-use structure connected to the city’s maritime and road networks. The building consists of a steel exoskeleton where small prefabricated structures could be plugged-in during different construction phases – according to new requirements. A vertical spine contains public programs such as theaters, restaurants, museums, or shopping malls while a swiping structure that resembles a wave is used for housing and offices. Read the rest of this entry »

Vertical Farms

By:  | April - 7 - 2010

Ruwan Fernando
Australia

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This design by Australian architect Ruwan Fernando is an open skyscraper with five clusters of u-shaped structures for vertical farming. This project is designed for low-depth water bodies – it uses specialized mechanical filaments for tidal energy production.

The shape of the clusters allows maximum sunlight and ventilation. It utilizes wind turbines and solar panels to produce the remaining energy requirements. The idea is to create a network of vertical farms and connect them with monorails, roads, and pedestrian bridges. Read the rest of this entry »

Hive Skyscraper

By:  | April - 6 - 2010

Sang-Yun Han, Cheol Yong Kim, Sung Hoon Park
United States

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This proposal is an attempt to redefine skyscrapers as a connecting agent between architecture and the city through the re-composition of the surrounding urban context. Programs decoded from analyzing urban contexts are recomposed and disseminated along the inclined interlinking circulation system in order to enhance human interaction and extend streets throughout the entire building. Read the rest of this entry »

Schweger Associated Architects
Peter P. Schweger
Germany

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Dubai Pearl is a new residential and commercial development in Dubai situated in the newest part of the city with magnificent views to the Gulf, the Palm Island, and the Burj Al Arab. The complex has been designed to receive Gold LEED certification and to become a new landmark for the city. Read the rest of this entry »

Rae Won Noh, In Ki Kim, Jeong Tae Kim, Hyo Bin Jung, Jang Ook Lee
South Korea

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The Horizontal Scarper main concept is to build a new city-like structure above existing blocks. The main structural elements, also used for vertical circulation, are located on free areas at street level. The rest of the building is a fifteen floors ribbon floating on top of the existing buildings without blocking the natural light. Apart from residential and office spaces it provides a new recreational space for the city; its rooftop is a green garden with sports facilities. Read the rest of this entry »

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, partners in the architectural firm, SANAA, have been chosen as the 2010 Laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The formal ceremony for what has come to be known throughout the world as architecture’s highest honor will be held on May 17 on historic Ellis Island in New York. At that time, a $100,000 grant and bronze medallions will be bestowed on the two architects.

In announcing the jury’s choice, Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, elaborated, “This marks the third time in the history of the prize that two architects have been named in the same year. The first was in 1988 when Oscar Niemeyer of Brazil and the late Gordon Bunshaft were so honored, and the second was in 2001, when Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, partners in a Swiss firm, were selected.”

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21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan.  1999-2004.  Courtesy of SANAA.  Photo credit: Yukio Futagawa.

He continued, “Japanese architects have been chosen three times in the thirty year history of the Pritzker Architecture Prize — the first was the late Kenzo Tange in 1987, then in 1993, Fumihiko Maki was selected, and in 1995, Tadao Ando was the honoree.”

The purpose of the Pritzker Architecture Prize is to honor annually a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanityand the built environment through the art of architecture. Read the rest of this entry »

Contingency Ark

By:  | March - 24 - 2010

Finalist  – 2010 Skyscraper Competition

Andrew Brorson
United States

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The Contingency Ark was designed under the assumption that the West Antarctic ice shelf will melt and a great number of cities, including Miami, will be underwater. Its structure was inspired from buildings that have withstood the rising of the sea like the Maunsell Sea Forts in the Thames and Mersey estuaries located off the coast of the United Kingdom.

It is formed by a steel lattice where mobile floating homes will plug-in. The idea is to build a series of these structures in major cities and habitants will be able to move their homes between locations. The basic infrastructure including water, energy, and waste management will be provided by the permanent structure. Read the rest of this entry »

Ecopolis

By:  | March - 15 - 2010

Project submitted to the 2010 Skyscraper Competition
Designed by: Santiago Marenco

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Ecopolis is a global city for the future based on the idea of designing a set of highly differentiated sustainable and habitable cells. These primary units are organized into clusters according to program, habitants, and its relationship with the natural world.

Ecopolis façade is equipped with sustainable systems such as solar panels, wind turbines, and rainwater collectors. It is a modular design that grows according to different requirements in a given period of time. Read the rest of this entry »