The 2016 International High-Rise award goes to BIG’s hybrid of a skyscraper
The International High Rise award always chooses the most aesthetic, integrated into urban surroundings, functional, technological and efficient building to be its winner. This year BIG‘s innovative high-rise (VIA 57 west) was chosen to be the winner by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) from the other 1500 newly added high rise buildings through the last two years.
Courtesy of (BIG) Bjarke Ingels
“Grandiose building sculpture [representing] a varied and sensual experience from all perspectives,” Described DAM.
How BIG architects dealt with the urban surrounding was magnificent, as they had lots of challenges. In the north of the site lies an electricity plant, in the south a waste separation center, in the east a 130 meter high rise tower and in the west there is a two-lane motorway.
Courtesy of (BIG) Bjarke Ingels
DAM description of how the architects dealt with the project:
The architects responded to this with the innovative concept of a “court-scraper”. The hybrid of an American high-rise and a European perimeter development turns away from the building to the north-east and is orientated towards a green interior courtyard. The balconies integrated into the roof surface afford protected views of the Hudson River in the West. Almost all of the 709 apartments enjoy a view of the river and the sunset, which would have been geometrically impossible for a normal perimeter development. This sculptural prototype therefore offers a quiet, sheltered oasis within the loud city, without being closed off from it. BIG Architects have created great innovations with this building.
The high rise project taking the shape of a silver tetrahedron contains more than 700 apartments overlooking the green interior courtyard.
“The project is outstanding in its interpretation of a New York block – this is what makes it really interesting” (chair of the jury, Stefano Boeri).
Moreover, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) of Singapore was awarded a special recognition for “exemplary leadership as a public agency realizing innovative high-rise sustainable residential community projects.”