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Architecture

Floating cities and air-cleaning towers rise up in eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition

By Adam Williams
May 06, 2019
Floating cities and air-cleaning towers rise up in eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
The Floating Tower, by Piotr Yurchanka, Alexey Kunko, Vladislav Sidorenko and Dmitry Tkachuk, would restore the drained swamps of Belarus. The project is one of 27 honorable mentions in the 2019 eVolo Skyscraper Competition
The Floating Tower, by Piotr Yurchanka, Alexey Kunko, Vladislav Sidorenko and Dmitry Tkachuk, would restore the drained swamps of Belarus. The project is one of 27 honorable mentions in the 2019 eVolo Skyscraper Competition
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The Methanescraper, by Serbia's Marko Dragicevic, has been declared the winner of eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
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The Methanescraper, by Serbia's Marko Dragicevic, has been declared the winner of eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
The Methanescraper envisions a city landfill as a vertical structure
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The Methanescraper envisions a city landfill as a vertical structure
Airscraper, by Poland's Klaudia Gołaszewska and Marek Grodzicki, was declared the second-place runner-up in eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
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Airscraper, by Poland's Klaudia Gołaszewska and Marek Grodzicki, was declared the second-place runner-up in eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
Airscraper envisions a skyscraper that can purify the air
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Airscraper envisions a skyscraper that can purify the air 
Creature Ark: Biosphere Skyscraper, by the UK's Zijian Wan, Xiaozhi Qi and Yueya Liu, came third. The concept envisions a vertical nature reserve
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Creature Ark: Biosphere Skyscraper, by the UK's Zijian Wan, Xiaozhi Qi and Yueya Liu, came third. The concept envisions a vertical nature reserve
Vertical Sustainable City, by BKV Group, would be a mixed-use supertall skyscraper in which food could be grown
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Vertical Sustainable City, by BKV Group, would be a mixed-use supertall skyscraper in which food could be grown
Horizontal City Of No Nation, by Zhichen Gong, Yong Chen, Tianrong Wu, Yingzhi He and Congying He, would be installed on the border of two countries and provide shelter for refugees
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Horizontal City Of No Nation, by Zhichen Gong, Yong Chen, Tianrong Wu, Yingzhi He and Congying He, would be installed on the border of two countries and provide shelter for refugees
Trekking Landmark Skyscraper, by Fábio Ferreira Neves, would protect aged Swiss fortresses and allow them to be used again
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Trekking Landmark Skyscraper, by Fábio Ferreira Neves, would protect aged Swiss fortresses and allow them to be used again 
Ice Dam Skyscraper, by Jae Min Jo, Geonuk Yun, Kyungjun Park, Hobin Bae, Jiyeon Kim, Weonkyung Cho and Ganghui Lee, would be a protective structure installed in places like Greenland that prevents the melting of glaciers
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Ice Dam Skyscraper, by Jae Min Jo, Geonuk Yun, Kyungjun Park, Hobin Bae, Jiyeon Kim, Weonkyung Cho and Ganghui Lee, would be a protective structure installed in places like Greenland that prevents the melting of glaciers
Jack And The Woodstock Skyscraper, by Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong, calls for the construction of large wooden skyscrapers
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Jack And The Woodstock Skyscraper, by Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong, calls for the construction of large wooden skyscrapers 
Badgir Skyscraper, by Adam Fernandez, is a sustainable skyscraper concept that draws on traditional Persian passive cooling techniques
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Badgir Skyscraper, by Adam Fernandez, is a sustainable skyscraper concept that draws on traditional Persian passive cooling techniques 
Arbor Tower, by Bilal Torğul and Mücahit Bilal Goker, would offer affordable housing
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Arbor Tower, by Bilal Torğul and Mücahit Bilal Goker, would offer affordable housing
Level 5 Autonomous Green Dock Skyscraper, by Tony Leung, is a concept for a huge vertical farm with electric vehicles that deliver produce to markets
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Level 5 Autonomous Green Dock Skyscraper, by Tony Leung, is a concept for a huge vertical farm with electric vehicles that deliver produce to markets
Borderland Skyscraper, by Muhammed Aydem, Burak Arifoglu and Omer Faruk Demir, would provide housing to people who need it most
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Borderland Skyscraper, by Muhammed Aydem, Burak Arifoglu and Omer Faruk Demir, would provide housing to people who need it most 
2100 Singapore: Gene Storage Skyscraper, by Tsung-Ying,Hsieh, Hsuan-Ting and Huang, would store digital DNA data
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2100 Singapore: Gene Storage Skyscraper, by Tsung-Ying,Hsieh, Hsuan-Ting and Huang, would store digital DNA data
Vertical City in Kaesong, by You Gundon, Lee Minwi, Kang Ryunhong and Moon Junho, would serve as a vertical urban space
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Vertical City in Kaesong, by You Gundon, Lee Minwi, Kang Ryunhong and Moon Junho, would serve as a vertical urban space
The Floating Tower, by Piotr Yurchanka, Alexey Kunko, Vladislav Sidorenko and Dmitry Tkachuk, would restore the drained swamps of Belarus. The project is one of 27 honorable mentions in the 2019 eVolo Skyscraper Competition
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The Floating Tower, by Piotr Yurchanka, Alexey Kunko, Vladislav Sidorenko and Dmitry Tkachuk, would restore the drained swamps of Belarus. The project is one of 27 honorable mentions in the 2019 eVolo Skyscraper Competition
Filtration Skyscraper, by Honglin Li, would filter the plastic found in the sea
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Filtration Skyscraper, by Honglin Li, would filter the plastic found in the sea 
The Clean Up: Ocean Cleaning Skyscraper, by Karol Łącki, Dominik Pierzchlewicz and Szymon Ciupiński, would help clean up sea water
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The Clean Up: Ocean Cleaning Skyscraper, by Karol Łącki, Dominik Pierzchlewicz and Szymon Ciupiński, would help clean up sea water
Carbon Copy Skyscraper, by Dattner Architects, would help re-forest the earth with skyscrapers that hold trees instead of people
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Carbon Copy Skyscraper, by Dattner Architects, would help re-forest the earth with skyscrapers that hold trees instead of people
Library Of Caste Skyscraper, by Zheng Tianshu , Sun Xingcan , Li Zhipeng and Ma Xinya, is a conceptual building meant to reflect India's caste system
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Library Of Caste Skyscraper, by Zheng Tianshu , Sun Xingcan , Li Zhipeng and Ma Xinya, is a conceptual building meant to reflect India's caste system
Connection One: Skyscrapers Network, by Thomas Gössler, would incorporate a Hyperloop system
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Connection One: Skyscrapers Network, by Thomas Gössler, would incorporate a Hyperloop system
The Sky Hub: A Utopian Vision Of The Future – A Colony For Humanity, by Paula Domka and Oliver Siekierka, is a sustainable skyscraper concept
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The Sky Hub: A Utopian Vision Of The Future – A Colony For Humanity, by Paula Domka and Oliver Siekierka, is a sustainable skyscraper concept
Recombinant Skyscraper, by PIN Architects + Kalebodur Team, would adapt existing concrete buildings with a "bio-engineered cocktail of concrete-dissolving material"
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Recombinant Skyscraper, by PIN Architects + Kalebodur Team, would adapt existing concrete buildings with a "bio-engineered cocktail of concrete-dissolving material"
Bi-National Community Skyscraper, by Charles Tzu Wei Chiang and Alejandro Moreno Guerrero, suggests an "in-between zone" on the US/Mexico border for people to be able to meet
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Bi-National Community Skyscraper, by Charles Tzu Wei Chiang and Alejandro Moreno Guerrero, suggests an "in-between zone" on the US/Mexico border for people to be able to meet 
Armature: A Topophilic Tower, by Weber Thompson Architects, would provide homes, workspaces, gathering places, and respite from the bustling city outside
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Armature: A Topophilic Tower, by Weber Thompson Architects, would provide homes, workspaces, gathering places, and respite from the bustling city outside
Ka’ poy yepü Skyscraper, by Zöe Russián Moreno, envisions a futuristic multi-platform research center with a focus on geo-biological education
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Ka’ poy yepü Skyscraper, by Zöe Russián Moreno, envisions a futuristic multi-platform research center with a focus on geo-biological education
Floating Egyptian City, by Tao Qiyang, Wang Kun, Chen Ruihua and Sun Yunjuan, would float above the desert and collect and produce its own water
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Floating Egyptian City, by Tao Qiyang, Wang Kun, Chen Ruihua and Sun Yunjuan, would float above the desert and collect and produce its own water 
Tower Of Life, by Turan Akman, would capture water vapor and fog and turn it into drinkable water
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Tower Of Life, by Turan Akman, would capture water vapor and fog and turn it into drinkable water 
Frozen Activity: Spaces Shaped By The Climate, by Romain Josue and Corentin Fraisse, would protect the French Alps against climate change
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Frozen Activity: Spaces Shaped By The Climate, by Romain Josue and Corentin Fraisse, would protect the French Alps against climate change 
Memory Cube Skyscraper, by Keyi Shen, Zichao Zhong, Dingyu Li, Jian Yan and Yuan Zhang, would recreate natural areas that will be destroyed by climate change for future humans
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Memory Cube Skyscraper, by Keyi Shen, Zichao Zhong, Dingyu Li, Jian Yan and Yuan Zhang, would recreate natural areas that will be destroyed by climate change for future humans
View gallery - 31 images

The 2019 eVolo Skyscraper Competition winners have been announced. Light on practicalities but packed full of interesting ideas, the competition offers lots of futuristic architectural concepts to check out – from a floating city to pollution-filtering skyscrapers.

The annual eVolo Skyscraper Competition was established in 2006 and 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."

This year's jury, which consisted of Melike Altınısık, Vincent Callebaut, Marc Fornes, and Mitchell Joachim, whittled down a total of 478 entrants to just one overall winner, two runners-up, and 27 honorable mentions.

The Methanescraper, by Serbia's Marko Dragicevic, has been declared the winner of eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition
The Methanescraper, by Serbia's Marko Dragicevic, has been declared the winner of eVolo's 2019 Skyscraper Competition

First place went to the Methanescraper (above), by Serbia's Marko Dragicevic. Envisioned for Belgrade, the concept imagines that instead of burying waste in a landfill, a modular tower could be constructed that can both house waste and recycle it too. During the recycling process, methane gas could be collected and used to produce electricity.

Airscraper envisions a skyscraper that can purify the air
Airscraper envisions a skyscraper that can purify the air 

Second place went to Poland's Klaudia Gołaszewska and Marek Grodzicki for their Airscraper concept. Noting the serious pollution issues plaguing huge cities like Beijing, the proposal calls for a chimney-like skyscraper with a filtration system that cleans the air. The building would also house up to 7,500 people and include extensive greenery inside.

Creature Ark: Biosphere Skyscraper, by the UK's Zijian Wan, Xiaozhi Qi and Yueya Liu, came third. The concept envisions a vertical nature reserve
Creature Ark: Biosphere Skyscraper, by the UK's Zijian Wan, Xiaozhi Qi and Yueya Liu, came third. The concept envisions a vertical nature reserve

Third place went to Creature Ark: Biosphere Skyscraper, by the UK's Zijian Wan, Xiaozhi Qi and Yueya Liu. The skyscraper would serve as a nature reserve with integrated research facilities. Its interior would simulate multiple ecosystems, allowing animals and plants to thrive.

Ka’ poy yepü Skyscraper, by Zöe Russián Moreno, envisions a futuristic multi-platform research center with a focus on geo-biological education
Ka’ poy yepü Skyscraper, by Zöe Russián Moreno, envisions a futuristic multi-platform research center with a focus on geo-biological education

Some of the honorable mentions see the designers really running wild with their imaginations. Notable entries include this strange structure named Ka' poy yepü Skyscraper, by Zöe Russián Moreno. It depicts a futuristic multi-platform research center with a focus on geo-biological education.

Floating Egyptian City, by Tao Qiyang, Wang Kun, Chen Ruihua and Sun Yunjuan, would float above the desert and collect and produce its own water
Floating Egyptian City, by Tao Qiyang, Wang Kun, Chen Ruihua and Sun Yunjuan, would float above the desert and collect and produce its own water 

The aptly-named Floating Egyptian City stands out too. Designed by Tao Qiyang, Wang Kun, Chen Ruihua and Sun Yunjuan, it imagines a floating city that draws on ancient Egyptian culture and would stay aloft with some kind of "hydrogen floating device."

Head to the gallery to see more on these and the rest of the designs that make up this year's eVolo Skyscraper Competition.

Source: eVolo

View gallery - 31 images

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ArchitectureSkyscrapersCompetitionConcept ArchitectureeVolo Skyscraper Competition
5 comments
Adam Williams
Adam Williams
Adam scours the globe from his home in Spain in order to bring the best of innovative architecture and sustainable design to the pages of New Atlas. Most of his spare time is spent dabbling in music, tinkering with old Macintosh computers and trying to keep his even older VW bus on the road.

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paul314
These look beautiful, but more like the illustrations that used to grace pulp science fiction.
toyhouse
I've always loved and been fascinated by the idea of floating cities portrayed in scifi. I wonder though, if one wouldn't feel cut-off from nature somehow. Or the need to get down often,...unless there were enormous amounts of green space etc.? Interesting designs here.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
This reminds me of the air core planet. It is based on the dirigible with an air core and a lighter than air cellular structure on top. It would be constructed in the Oort belt from nearby light elements and powered by fusion of them.
ljaques
I loved Ka' poy, which reminded me of the house in Oblivion. And I loved the "Can you believe this sh*t?" look on the antelope in the picture for Creature Ark. Connection One caught a heartstring, both for the concept and the reminder of one of my favorite book niches, science fiction.
Several of these buildings could actually work. The desert water catcher, the Chinese air filter, the Plastic Babel (housing for 'woke' people!), and either/both of the ocean cleanup buildings (source for Plastic Babel materials).
Most were complete bunk, though. I wonder how much heat that fridge for the French Alps would produce. LOL Floating cities will come when we have broken the secret to gravity waves and can reproduce them and their opposites. I look forward to that day.
Buzzclick
Please somebody help me. I need to find the drug that these people are smoking.