2017 Skyscraper Competition
Editors’ Choice

Nael Badr, Noel Maestro, Hagar Elahmar
Qatar

LOCATION

Jordan’s Za’atari, the first official refugee camp that opened in July 2012, gets the most news coverage because it is the destination for newly-arrived refugees. It is also the most concentrated settlement of refugees: Approximately 80,000 Syrians live in Za’atari, making it one of the country’s largest cities. This location was convenient for the project as the refugees will avoid the need to face death at sea for trying to cross to Europe, will be familiar with the climate, language and there’s already a huge settlement with a need for further expansion.

REFUGEE CRISIS

Syria’s civil war has created the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country’s pre-war population — more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes.  Families are struggling to survive inside Syria, or make a new home in neighboring countries. Others are risking their lives on the way to Europe, hoping to find acceptance and opportunity. And harsh winters and hot summers make life as a refugee even more difficult. At times, the effects of the conflict can seem overwhelming.

CONCEPT

By looking at the current Syrian Refugee Crisis, there is a need for architects to interfere and research innovative solutions, these solutions can be used in any like crisis that may occur. The project approach is to find a solution not only to resolve the current Syrian Refugee Crisis but also to plan ahead for rebuilding the country after the current situation hopefully gets resolved. Read the rest of this entry »

2017 Skyscraper Competition
Editors’ Choice

Guan Wong
United Kingdom

The Living Thames Barrier and The Pursuit of Perpetual Power

This project tackles some of London’s polemic issues – the underdeveloped city and infrastructure of East London, the preparation of the estuary airport and the need for a new flood defence barrier. The current Thames barrier is under large stress due to the rising sea level and unexpected North Sea surges, a new Thames barrier is required to protect London from flooding. The Living Thames Barrier challenges the typology of a conventional barrier where enormous investments are solely spent on a defence system. Instead, the intention of the project is to enquire into the possibility of using the area over the river to create a new barrier city with renewable energy that can sustain or possibly payback these large scale defence investments. There is currently a heated debate surrounding the possibility of relocating Heathrow airport to a new airport terminal in the Thames estuary. The Living Thames Barrier would alleviate people’s concerns by providing the necessary transport, flood defence and workforce infrastructure required as a stepping stone to potentially make a new Thames estuary airport viable.

This scheme would provide cheap and renewable energy for the working and living environments of the corporations that would inhabit this barrier. The Living Thames Barrier be a vital catalyst for the economic development of East London. This is due to the new area after the barrier that is protected within the flood insurance scheme as well as the attraction of large corporations and their associated workforces. In summary, the Living Thames Barrier will provide an elegant and integrated solution to the issues that are currently seen as unrelated. It relates these issues with one another by: developing East London, a defence barrier, a stepping stone to a viable airport as well as a way of living with completely renewable and sustainable energy. Read the rest of this entry »

-> 2019 Skyscraper Competition