eVolo Magazine is pleased to invite architects, students, engineers, designers, and artists from around the globe to take part in the 2024 Skyscraper Competition. Established in 2006, the annual Skyscraper Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious awards for high-rise architecture. It recognizes outstanding ideas that redefine skyscraper design through the implementation of novel technologies, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations; along with studies on globalization, flexibility, adaptability, and the digital revolution. It is a forum that examines the relationship between the skyscraper and the natural world, the skyscraper and the community, and the skyscraper and the city.

The participants should take into consideration the advances in technology, the exploration of sustainable systems, and the establishment of new urban and architectural methods to solve economic, social, and cultural problems of the contemporary city including the scarcity of natural resources and infrastructure and the exponential increase of inhabitants, pollution, economic division, and unplanned urban sprawl.

The competition is an investigation of the public and private space and the role of the individual and the collective in the creation of a dynamic and adaptive vertical community. It is also a response to the exploration and adaptation of new habitats and territories based on a dynamic equilibrium between man and nature – a new kind of responsive and adaptive design capable of intelligent growth through the self-regulation of its own systems.

There are no restrictions in regards to site, program, or size. The objective is to provide maximum freedom to the participants to engage the project without constraints in the most creative way. What is a skyscraper in the 21st century? What are the historical, contextual, social, urban, and environmental responsibilities of these mega-structures?

eVolo Magazine is committed to continuing stimulating the imagination of designers around the world – thinkers that initiate a new architectural discourse of economic, environmental, intellectual, and perceptual responsibility that could ultimately modify what we understand as a contemporary skyscraper, its impact on urban planning and on the improvement of our way of life.

REGISTRATION

Architects, students, engineers, and designers are invited to participate in the competition. We encourage you to have multidisciplinary teams.

  • Participants must register by September 1, 2023.
  • Early Registration: USD $95 until December 19, 2023.
  • Late Registration: USD $135 from December 20, 2023 to February 27, 2024.
  • One registration = One project.
  • Participants may submit various projects but must register each entry.
  • There is no limit as to the number of participants per team. Individual entries are accepted.
  • After your registration has been approved, eVolo will send the registration number (within 24 hours) which will be necessary to include in the submission boards.

SCHEDULE

September 1, 2023 – Competition announcement and registration opens.
December 19, 2023 – Early registration deadline
February 27, 2024 – Late registration deadline
March 12, 2024 – Project submission deadline (23:59 hours US Eastern Time, UTC-5h)
June 11, 2024 – Winners’ announcement

 

-> CLICK TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

This is a digital competition and no hardcopies are necessary. Entrants must submit their proposal no later than March 12, 2024 (23:59 hours US Eastern Time, UTC-5h) via email to skyscraper2024@evolo.us.

The project submission must contain the following files:

  1. Two boards with the project information including plans, sections, and perspectives. Participants are encouraged to submit all the information they consider necessary to explain their proposal. These boards should be 24″(h) X 48″(w) in HORIZONTAL format. The resolution of the boards must be 150 dpi, RGB mode, and saved as JPG files. The upper right corner of each board must contain the participation number. There should not be any marks or any other form of identification. The files must be named after the registration number followed by the board number. For example 0101-1.jpg and 0101-2.jpg.
  2. A DOC file containing the project statement (600 words max). This file must be named after the registration number followed by the word “statement”. For example 0101-statement.doc.
  3. A DOC file containing the entrants’ personal information, including name, profession, address, and email. This file must be named after the registration number followed by the word “info”. For example 0101-info.doc.
  4. All the files must be placed in a ZIP folder named after your registration number. For example 0101.zip
    If your files are larger than 20MB you can submit your entry using a file sharing service like wetransfer or Google Drive to skyscraper2022@evolo.us

JURY

Jose Luis Campos Rosique [CEO, Crystalzoo]
Zhe Huang, Li Huang, Yao Zhang
[Principals, Office Off Course]
Chang Lu, Duo Wang, Chufeng Wu, Shuxiao Zhang, Bozhi Zheng 
[Winners 2023 Skyscraper Competition]
Dirk U. Moench [Principal, INUCE]

REGULATIONS

  1. This is an anonymous competition and the registration number is the only means of identification.
  2. The official language of the competition is English.
  3. The registration fee is non-refundable.
  4. Contacting the Jury is prohibited.
  5. eVolo Magazine, as the competition organizer, reserves the right to modify the competition schedule if deemed necessary.
  6. Participants retain all copyrights of their designs. eVolo Magazine is granted permission to publish in print and digital publications all projects submitted to the competition.
  7. Entrants will be disqualified if any of the competition rules are not considered.
  8. Participation assumes acceptance of the regulations.

AWARDS

1st place – $5,000 USD
2nd place – $2,000 USD
3rd place – $1,000 USD

Winners, honorable mentions, and selected projects will be published in the forthcoming book EVOLO SKYSCRAPERS 4 (Summer 2024).

 

-> CLICK TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM

 

Winners and special mentions will be published by eVolo and several international print publications including the forthcoming book EVOLO SKYSCRAPERS 4. In addition, the results are covered by the most important online architecture and design publications and general media such as The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

Previous winners have been featured in the following print publications:

ABC Magazine – Czech Republic, About:Blank Magazine – Portugal, Aeroflot – Russia, Architect Builder – India, Architecture and Culture – South Korea, Architecture Design Art – Pakistan, Architektura Murator – Poland, AT Architecture Technique – China, Archiworld – South Korea, AWM – The Netherlands, Azure – Canada, B-1 – Thailand, Bauwelt – Germany, Blueprint – United Kingdom, BusinessWeek– USA, C3 – South Korea, CAAOH – Ukraine, Casamica – Italy, Casas y Mas – Mexico, Concept – South Korea, Courier Mail – Australia, Discover Magazine – USA, Donga – South Korea, Enlace – Mexico, Focus – Canada/Italy, Future Arquitecturas – Spain, Geolino Extra – Germany, Grazia Casa – Italy, Kijk – The Netherlands, L’Installatore Italiano – Italy, L’Arca – Italy, L’Uomo Vogue – Italy, La Razon – Spain, Le Courier de l’ Architecte – France, Le Fourquet – Mexico, Mark Magazine – The Netherlands, Maxim – USA, Mercedes Benz Magazine – Germany, Mladina – Slovenia, Modulo – Italy, Modulor – Switzerland, NAN – Spain, Natur + Kosmos – Germany, New Scientist – United Kingdom, Oculus – USA, Of Arch – Italy, Pasajes de Arquitectura – Spain, Peak Magazine – Singapore, Popular Mechanics – USA/Russia, Popular Science – USA, Puls Biznesu – Poland, Quo– China/Spain, Rogue Magazine – Philippines, RUM – Sweden, Salt Magazine – The Netherlands, Science et Vie – France, Sciences et Avenir– France, Shanghai Morning Post – China, Space – South Korea, Spade – Canada, Spazio Casa – Italy, Specifier Magazine – Australia, SMW Magazine – Taiwan, Stafette – Germany, Tall Buildings – Russia, Tatlin – Russia, The Broker – The Netherlands, The Outlook Magazine – China, The New York Times – USA, The Wall Street Journal – USA, Time Style and Design – USA, Travel and Leisure – USA, Vida Simples Magazine – Brazil, Vogue – Australia/USA, Vox Design – Poland, Wettbewerbe Aktuell – Germany, Wired – USA/Italy, Woongjin – South Korea, World Architecture – China

FAQ

Who can participate in the competition?
Everyone is invited to participate, including students and professionals from any country worldwide.

Can we submit more than one entry?
Yes, but each project must be registered individually.

Can we submit printed boards?
No, this is a digital competition and all submissions must be in digital format as outlined in the competition brief.

Is there a specific height requirement for the skyscraper?
There is no specific height requirement.

Is there a specific program requirement?
No, participants have complete freedom to establish their own program, site, and conceptual agenda.

eVolo Magazine is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Skyscraper Competition. The Jury selected 3 winners and 15 honorable mentions from 309 projects received. The annual award established in 2006 recognizes visionary ideas that through the novel use of technology, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations, challenge the way we understand vertical architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments.

The FIRST PLACE was awarded to NOMAD METROPOLISES designed by Chufeng Wu, Chang Lu, Bozhi Zheng, Duo Wang, Shuxiao Zhang from China. The project investigates a mobile city that plugs-in into existing infrastructure and provides new services to the host city. Inhabitants migrate to different locations as a city instead of as individuals.

The recipients of the SECOND PLACE are Dennis Byun, Harry Tse, Sunjoo Lee from New Zealand for their project OCEAN RE-CLAMATION SKYSCRAPER. This mobile oceanic skyscraper moves along the Pacific Garbage Patch to collect and recycle the garbage.

K8 FOREST LIFT OFF designed by Ahmad Hafez and Hamzeh Al-Thweib from Germany received the THIRD PLACE in the competition. Their project in the Amazon Rainforest conceives a new urban development model that prioritizes the well being of the ecosystem and its biodiversity.

The Jury was formed by Kim Gyeong Jeung, Yu Sang Gu, Min Yeong Gi [Winners 2022 Skyscraper Competition], Dr. Sina Mostafavi [CEO SETUParchitecture studio, Associate Professor Texas Tech University College of Architecture], and Kathy Velikov [Principal rvtr, Vice-President ACADIA, Associate Dean for Research and Creative Practice Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning].

Nomad Metropolises

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

First Place
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Chufeng Wu, Chang Lu, Bozhi Zheng, Duo Wang, Shuxiao Zhang
China

Where our future inhabitation will be led to?

As of the 2000s, over-centralised urbanisation and the explosion of the population contribute to the soaring of housing prices in major cities of the globe, which, inevitably causes a severe reduction in the affordability of housing for the middle and below class, and irretrievable damages on our environment.
Today, the majority of our megacities’ outlanders, usually those young immigrants, only share a small area of inhabitation. Nevertheless, in the future, global coastal cities are estimated to shrink by 1.79billion square kilometers in total by 2100, given the sea level rise under the global warming. So, where their future inhabitation will be led to?

With the development of transportation, people’s mobility between cities has become stronger. Job opportunities and resources drive people to move, so migration is becoming increasingly frequent both domestically and internationally. The motivation for migration must be good, but the process of migration is always painful for your pocket and mental health. Frequently shifting settlements also means the waste of resources and the reduction of sustainability.

This project illustrates a brand new model of our future inhabitation. One metabolistic agglomeration that could formulate communities of all kinds and could be placed wherever the tenants want. Read the rest of this entry »

Ocean Re-clamation Skyscraper

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Second Place
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Dennis Byun, Harry Tse, Sunjoo Lee
New Zealand

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and global oil spill have been accumulating in the Pacific Ocean for decades. In recent years, the effects of this environmental disaster have become increasingly visible, with reports of dead marine life washing up ashore with stomachs full of plastic waste.

While many efforts are underway to reduce plastic waste and oil spills, such as recycling programmes and the use of biodegradable plastics, we propose a bold new idea that takes plastic recycling to new heights.
The skyscraper would be a shining example of innovative and sustainable architecture that addresses the problem of plastic pollution while also promoting biodiversity and wildlife conservation. The building’s exterior facade would be made entirely of recycled plastic sourced from ocean waste. But the true innovation of this idea lies in repurposing rubbish into reinforced plastic as a new building material. The once hazardous small plastic bits will be moulded into a solid structure you can no longer consume or entangle, instead inhabit. Thus re-creating a safer environment for sea animals and nature.

The tower is designed to move with the rubbish gyres (garbage patches) to collect and recycle its content. The movement of the gyres is primarily driven by ocean currents and wind patterns, so the organic facade and curved tower will naturally shift with the current if positioned near any major rubbish gyres. All the rubbish is sorted and taken to a material factory to be repurposed in the construction of the tower. The tower works in tandem with time, with the continuous construction of the plastic bird nesting tower and the cleaning of the ocean allowing a new mass breeding of once-endangered marine life. Read the rest of this entry »

K8 Forest Lift Off

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Third Place
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Ahmad Hafez, Hamzeh Al-Thweib
Germany

The Amazon Rainforest, a vital component of the global ecosystem, produces 20% of the world’s oxygen through its photosynthetic processes. Sadly, it has been facing a rapid decline in biomass and biodiversity in recent years, largely due to human activities such as “Slash and Burn” tactics employed by loggers and cattle ranchers, facilitated by government policies that prioritize economic development over conservation. While climate change is a contributing factor, the majority of the destruction is due to human actions. Read the rest of this entry »

Elevated Plastic Skyscraper

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Honorable Mention
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Anissa Le Scornet, Andrea Battistoni
United States

In 2050, there will be 400 million people living in cities in Africa, representing one of the biggest urban challenges of our time. In its 2022 report WWF lists the impacts of plastic pollution in the African context. The health of both humans and wildlife is threatened by the exposure to toxic emissions and the ingestion of plastic elements. The ecosystems are endangered as fields and fisheries get invaded by micro-plastics. Urban floods caused by the blockage of waterways and urban drainage systems as well as a loss of tourism because of waste filled beaches impact the economy. People are specifically suffering from it in Africa because the waste management systems are often inefficient. It is worth mentioning that some western countries also send their own waste to be buried in landfills in Africa. Institutions and associations urge Africa to fill the policy gaps and establish a common vision on plastic pollution management at a continental scale. Read the rest of this entry »

Self-built Air Hospital

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Honorable Mention
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Yang Xiaopeng
China

On February 24, 2022, on the orders of President Putin,Russia suddenly invaded Ukraine. The world was shocked by the war , and most countries condemned Russia. The war launched by Russia quickly killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians. All parts of Ukraine were full of blood, tears and broken families. The casualties caused by the war have rapidly exhausted Ukraine’s medical resources.

Lack of medical resources is just one of the problems,and the other is the transportation of the wounded.It is not easy to transfer the wounded in the war,the closer the hospital is to the front line, the worse the medical facilities are. If we want to rescue the seriously injured, we have to transport the wounded to the hospital in the far big city. The artillery shells and the damaged roads make the evacuation of the wounded dangerous and slow, which makes many of the wounded finally die.

In the face of a large number of wounded in the war, the best way to alleviate the shortage of medical resources is to build a modular temporary hospital, which can be built in a very short time.In the face of transferring the wounded , according to the graded treatment system for the wounded in the army, the seriously injured should be sent to the rear hospital by helicopter for rescue, while the slightly injured should take the ambulance. Read the rest of this entry »

Spiral Farming Skyscraper

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Honorable Mention
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Artha Krisiantara
Indonesia

Covid 19 taught us many things and opened our eyes that conventional farming has so many drawbacks. When there was an explosion of COVID-19 cases, farmers who had adjusted their yields to match market needs became silent and watched as their orders disappeared suddenly due to the policy of limiting activities that occurred in a short time. The effect was real, millions of tonnes of produce wasted as farmers struggled to turn around quickly.
As we know, world conditions are currently increasingly apprehensive. The impact of the previous COVID-19 situation and the increasingly heated geopolitical situation between countries has an impact on tensions in the food supply chain which risks threatening the world with mass starvation at hand. In this regard, vertical farming has shown promise in helping to overcome this perhaps imminent crisis by providing decentralized farming centers, higher yields, and separation from climate effects through environmental control systems. Then the question is, how effective and ready is vertical farming to take on this big responsibility in the midst of the current energy crisis and the possibility of depleting energy sources in the future? Read the rest of this entry »

The Gate of Cairo

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Honorable Mention
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Chang Han, Cheng Qian, Yuxiao Yang, Rangrang Pei, Youjia Jiang
China

Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is the largest city in Africa, located in the south of the Nile Delta and is one of the four birthplaces of human civilization. Since the 1860’s, Cairo has adopted the French urban design plan, and the city has entered modern society with the ancient color of the Middle Ages. It is a city with the integration of ancient culture and modern civilization, oriental style and western style.

Cairo is one of the most populous cities in the world. Due to the expansion of population size, the problem of urban water shortages is becoming increasingly serious. According to statistics, Cairo’s population density reached 19300 people per square kilometer in 2022. Most areas of Egypt have a tropical desert climate, with little rain and large evaporation. The desert area accounts for approximately 95% of the national territory. Ninety percent of the total urban water resources in Cairo come from the Nile River, with a per capita water resources of 560 m². Cairo has become one of the most water-scarce cities in the world. Excessive population density, shortage of water resources and serious shortage of agricultural area have become the most restrictive factors for Cairo’s urban development. Therefore, we urgently need to create a new method and model to comprehensively solve the urban problems in Cairo. Read the rest of this entry »

Wind Seeding Tower

By:  | May - 8 - 2023

Honorable Mention
2023 Skyscraper Competition

Fang Huo, Xinxuan Li, Bingjie Wang, Qining Zhang
China

The design scheme uses the unique strong wind conditions of Mongolia to spread grass seeds, so as to solve the desertification problem of Mongolia and restore the natural ecology and national economy of the country. The plight of Mongolia stems from the vicious cycle of nomadism, overgrazing and lack of green space. The lack of pastures has led to many people losing their jobs and being forced to work in the capital, thus exacerbating the problem of population distribution in the country. The wind seeder we designed uses the acceleration principle of Laval nozzle, which can increase the wind speed by 10 times only by changing the cross section, so that the seeds can be sown on the land 1 km away. Read the rest of this entry »