Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Marco Vermeulen, Theo Hauben
Netherlands

Special Mention

Although it is impossible to imagine contemporary life without car-based mobility, the car is frequently barred from the public space. In European inner cities, where pedestrians rule, the car is viewed as a threat to the city. This is rather strange because, in general, we spend a lot of money on cars and many car owners derive their social status from their possession, to a greater or lesser degree. In addition, sooner or later, most pedestrians become car users forced to descend into dark parking basements. Multi-storey parking facilities are an answer to the ever-growing demand for parking space, particularly where the concentration of activities requires the well-conceived use of space available. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Ratsimiebo Noely, Bommier Pacome, Bruter Jonathan
France

Special Mention

Let us think of a city that is constrained by a complex urban structure. An ordered grid, the compulsory maximal height and density of the imposed vellums, as well as the need for balanced perspectives and visual openings. Every new modification of the city must abide by a strict global composition. The city is also centralized, its urban layers are superimposed, add to each other, organize and stabilize disparities and dis-equilibria. The city can be seen as an ecosystem made of built components, equipments, infrastructures, sport fields, empty spaces, squares, parks, and gardens. The site and placement of each of them is conditioned by a global equilibrium which allows every single element to exist on its own, as well as within a global system. It is a balanced composition. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Adelaide Marchi, Nicola Marchi
France

Special Mention

In their search for light, space, balance, and keeping up with the environmental forces, trees are their own architects. A tree’s shape is a fascinating question. One part of its development is generated by its genetic code and the other part by its adaptation to the environment. We think these two factors are the key to understanding architectural design. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Nicholas Pisca
United States

Special Mention

The Genotower05 was an investigation of the potential of 7+ dimensional digital space-time, established through an ever-changing search space which uses a stratification of sculpted numeric and geometric randomness in a resonant eugenic single-celled generative automaton. This stem-cell recursively duplicates, splits and mutates under multi-dimensional distortion. While self-mutilating to isolate regional topological growth, it eventually sheds aged generational cells and produces individualized but intelligent organs, situated in an overall organic structure on multiple transgenic levels. In other words, it was to grow intelligent vertically oriented organs in an intelligent transgenic body from identical digital stem cells, without linear array sets or post-processing. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Guillem Augé, Anna Vergés
Spain

Board – 1

The skyscraper for the 21st century must respond to 100 years of evolution in technology and society. New materials and structures allow the construction of buildings which are 700 to 900 meters high. More research will allow rising up to 1200 meters. The skyscrapers are moving from the old North American or European cities to the new Asian and South American cities. They used to be constructed in the city’s downtown, but are changing to the suburbs, with the intention of revitalizing them. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Michael Meyer
Germany

Special Mention

This skyscraper is designed as a vertical city. The structural grid is inspired by a city’s master plan and its infrastructure system. The three cores are used to open up the whole building. The six planes are the horizontal connection between the cores.

The cores contain several public spaces like parks, gyms, and meeting rooms. Infrastructure, such as electricity, water, and weather control, is also supplied by the cores. The second part of the building are the pods. Their construction system is similar to cabins in shipbuilding. The primary cover includes all technical links without interior finish. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Edwin Liu, Nathaly Der Boghosian, Felix Monasakanian, Efren Soriano, Hugo Ventura
United States

Special Mention

This project is an examination of the skyscraper typology being driven by financial and market forces. Reaching a maximum height of nearly 800 feet, the building performs as a revenue-generating billboard on an urban scale.

The envelope of the structure was generated to maximize advertising perception from key cultural and civic nodes throughout the surrounding context of the greater Los Angeles area. The invasive insertion of this massive entity into the downtown area alters or destroys existing sight lines and replaces them with corporately sponsored images. Living rent-free in the towering structure are residents that are participants in the performance of the building as advertising conduit. Read the rest of this entry »

Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Kyle Schlie
United States

Special Mention

A skyscraper does not need to be about height, or technological achievement, but should firstly strive to provide healthy and diverse spaces for living and working. Density and vertical programming do not necessitate identical isolated units.

The new skyscraper is de-objectified to foster urban connectivity, green space, and community life. It looks not just to fit within the city, but to extend new fits to nearby buildings and public spaces. The building creates new street life in the existing dead space between Michigan Avenue and State Street. The program addresses Chicago’s need for affordable housing. Failure to provide new housing as housing projects are being continually demolished is only increasing the number of people without suitable living arrangements.

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Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition

Carrie Norman
United States

Special Mention

The main aim of this proposal is to question the role of structure within the field of architecture. Can it have multiple roles that integrate other elements, systems, creating mutually beneficial conditions? Can it be modeled like a leaf, in which the very members that hold it together are the same that deliver its nutrients? If so, structure can be a conduit—a physical network of rigid arteries and veins that not only bear load, but also house and perform additional services and operations. This scheme proposes that a research institute become a responsive, working system that utilizes structure and technology to yield agriculture, and effectively contribute to the efforts of reducing energy consumption that results in transporting fruits and vegetables from rural to urban areas. A canopy of hydroponic garden pods is designed to function as a seasonal market for the Philadelphia community.

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Special Mention
2007 Skyscraper Competition

Jakub Klaska
Czech Republic

Special Mention

This project focuses on the fact that a skyscraper is capable of becoming a landmark within the context of almost every European city. The project Urban Image is based upon the potential of the skyscraper to become the landmark of a particular area. Every megastructure in Holland is a highly planned act with strictly defined regulations. The extreme lack of space in cities such as Amsterdam doesn’t allow mega-developments, as seen in Asia nowadays, or in the USA through the XX Century. Read the rest of this entry »