Architecture

Gallery: Plant-covered skyscraper tops list of world's best tall buildings

Gallery: Plant-covered skyscraper tops list of world's best tall buildings
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Pool area at the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore
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Pool area at the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore
Pool area at the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore
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Pool area at the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade 
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade 
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore has been named 2018's “Best Tall Building Worldwide” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge that includes amenities like a lap pool and hot tub
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The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge that includes amenities like a lap pool and hot tub
Even in a place as busy with spectacular skyscrapers as Manhattan, SHoP's American Copper Buildings stand out
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Even in a place as busy with spectacular skyscrapers as Manhattan, SHoP's American Copper Buildings stand out
The Manhattan skyline, with the SHoP's American Copper Buildings towards the left of screen
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The Manhattan skyline, with the SHoP's American Copper Buildings towards the left of screen
The Manhattan skyline, with the SHoP's American Copper Buildings towards the left of screen
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The Manhattan skyline, with the SHoP's American Copper Buildings towards the left of screen
Facade detail on the American Copper Buildings in Manhattan
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Facade detail on the American Copper Buildings in Manhattan
The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge and appear to be bent out of shape
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The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge and appear to be bent out of shape
Interior of the American Copper Buildings in Manhattan
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Interior of the American Copper Buildings in Manhattan
The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge and appear to be bent out of shape
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The American Copper Buildings are connected by a sky bridge and appear to be bent out of shape
Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
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Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Buildingin Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Buildingin Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Silo has now been recognized as the Best Tall Buildingin Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Silo has now been recognized as the Best Tall Buildingin Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
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Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Silo's interior decor has been largely left as-is where possible to maintain the look of the former industrial building
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The Silo's interior decor has been largely left as-is where possible to maintain the look of the former industrial building 
The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Silo rises to 17 stories and is part of a wider transformation of Copenhagen's Nordhavn (North Harbor) area. It has now been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Silo's interior decor has been largely left as-is where possible to maintain the look of the former industrial building
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The Silo's interior decor has been largely left as-is where possible to maintain the look of the former industrial building 
Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
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Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
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Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
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Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
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Though the Zeitz MOCAA building looks like a single structure, it comprised a grading tower and 42 concrete tubes inside
Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
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Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
The Zeitz MOCAA building has been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Middle East & Africa by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Zeitz MOCAA building has been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Middle East & Africa by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
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Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
The Zeitz MOCAA building has been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Middle East & Africa by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The Zeitz MOCAA building has been recognized as the Best Tall Building in Middle East & Africa by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Courtyard of the Zeitz MOCAA building
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Courtyard of the Zeitz MOCAA building
Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
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Inside the Zeitz MOCAA building
Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The World Trade Center Master Plan in New York, by Studio Daniel Libeskind
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The World Trade Center Master Plan in New York, by Studio Daniel Libeskind
Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The World Trade Center Master Plan in New York, by Studio Daniel Libeskind
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The World Trade Center Master Plan in New York, by Studio Daniel Libeskind
Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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Still under development The World Trade Center Master Plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind has been recognized as an Urban Habitat Award Winner by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
MULTI is the world’s first rope-less and multi-directional elevator, and has been handed an Innovation Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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MULTI is the world’s first rope-less and multi-directional elevator, and has been handed an Innovation Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
MULTI is the world’s first rope-less and multi-directional elevator, and has been handed an Innovation Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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MULTI is the world’s first rope-less and multi-directional elevator, and has been handed an Innovation Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The EY Centre in Sydney, by Mirvac Construction, (center right in gold) has been handed a Construction Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The EY Centre in Sydney, by Mirvac Construction, (center right in gold) has been handed a Construction Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The EY Centre in Sydney, by Mirvac Construction, (center left in gold) has been handed a Construction Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The EY Centre in Sydney, by Mirvac Construction, (center left in gold) has been handed a Construction Award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The EY Centre in Sydney features a world-first timber-and-glass closed-cavity façade system
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The EY Centre in Sydney features a world-first timber-and-glass closed-cavity façade system
The EY Centre in Sydney (center right in gold) features a world-first timber-and-glass closed-cavity façade system
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The EY Centre in Sydney (center right in gold) features a world-first timber-and-glass closed-cavity façade system
The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower (center) by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower (center) by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Inside the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the last decad
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Inside the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the last decad
The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Inside the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the last decade
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Inside the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the last decade
The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the New York Times Tower by FXCollaborative has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center (on left with hole at top) by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center (on left with hole at top) by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Facade detail on the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the past decade
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Facade detail on the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox, which has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the past decade
The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
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The enduring performance of the Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox has been recognized by way of a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Shanghai World Financial Center at sunset, by Kohn Pedersen Fox. The skyscraper has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the past decade
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The Shanghai World Financial Center at sunset, by Kohn Pedersen Fox. The skyscraper has been handed a 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat for its performance over the past decade
View gallery - 55 images

Each year, the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) celebrates the world's grandest towers with its Best Tall Building awards. Claiming top honors in 2018 was a striking red and green skyscraper in Singapore, with a pair of converted silos and conjoined New York towers rounding out the winners' list.

The Best Tall Building awards are split across different categories for four different regions of the world: the Americas, Asia & Australasia, Europe and the Middle East & Africa.

With its greenery covered exterior that towers 60 stories above the island city state, Singapore's Oasis Hotel Downtown earned the global gong for Best Tall Building Worldwide. That foliage is meant to complement the greenery of the surrounding cityscape, and features a grand total of 54 different plant species within.

The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade
The Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore features 54 different climbing plants sprawled across its aluminium mesh screen facade 

"This project won not only because it incorporates 60 stories of green walls along the exterior," said CTBUH Executive Director and Awards Juror Antony Wood. "But because of its significant commitment to communal space. The tower has given over 40 percent of its volume to open air communal terraces in the sky."

Taking out the Best Tall Building for Europe was a 17-story refurbished apartment building dubbed The Silo. Designed by COBE Architects, the high-rise was transformed from an old grain storage facility into a residential complex with 38 apartments, and the interior largely left intact with exposed concrete to maintain an industrial feel.

Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain
Though you may not guess at first glance, the Silo by COBE Architects was once used to store massive amounts of grain

Another transformed silo claimed the top prize for the Middle East & Africa region, with the Zeitz MOCAA building in Cape Town, South Africa impressing the judges with an array of large floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper level that turn the building into a "glowing beacon on Table Bay."

And taking out the Best Tall Building Americas category was the American Copper Buildings, by SHoP architects. Towering over New York City's East river, this copper-clad structure consists of two buildings joined by a three-story skybridge complete with a swimming pool, so guests can swim from one tower to the other.

Even in a place as busy with spectacular skyscrapers as Manhattan, SHoP's American Copper Buildings stand out
Even in a place as busy with spectacular skyscrapers as Manhattan, SHoP's American Copper Buildings stand out

As part of the same ceremony in Chicago, The World Trade Center Master Plan in New York City also received an Urban Habitat Award for the building that best contributes to its environment, both culturally and environmentally.

An Innovation Award was handed to construction company Thyssenkrupp for the world's first rope-less multidirectional elevator, and a Construction Award was given to the Mirvac Construction for the EY Centre in Sydney, Australia, for its first-of-a-kind timber and glass closed cavity facade.

There were also pair of 10-year awards that celebrate the performance of built structures over the past decade, with the New York Times Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center the two recipients.

You can check out all the winners in our gallery.

Source: Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

View gallery - 55 images
3 comments
3 comments
Daishi
After we put plants on buildings maybe we can convince people to put plants on the cars they drive around.
Lardo
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat... sounds like something out of a Monty Python skit.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
This is really nice but don't kid yourself about it being "green". It is a very high maintenance and energy consuming feature. People with less money are going to great length to remove vegetation from on an around their buildings.