Kohn Pederson Fox Associates' Lotte World Tower in South Korea wins Emporis Skyscraper award

The 123-story Lotte World Tower in Seoul has received one of the world's top prizes for very tall buildings. On Thursday, the Emporis Skyscraper Award, which recognizes outstanding skyscraper design worldwide, announced the tallest completed building in South Korea as the winner alongside nine other commended projects.

Designed by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, the 555-meter-high tower features the world's highest glass-bottomed observation deck as well as the world's tallest and fastest double-decker elevator, the Sky Shuttle, which travels at a record-breaking 600 meters per minute. Since opening last April, the building has become a major tourist attraction and a popular shooting location.

The glass and steel high-rise, which boasts a sleek, tapered design, was inspired by traditional Korean arts like calligraphy and ceramics. The jury noted its soft and natural dynamism, commenting that "the design combines modern elements with classical forms from Korea's art and cultural history, making Lotte World Tower a particularly harmonious skyscraper."

Other top-ten winning skyscrapers this year include SOM's Arena Tower in London, UNStudio's Raffles City Hangzhou, and Zaha Hadid's Generali Tower in Milan, to name a few. Below, take a look at the top ten winners.

1. Lotte World Tower
Height: 1819 ft.
Floors: 123
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Architects: Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, Baum Architects

2. Generali Tower
Height: 582 ft.
Floors: 44
Location: Milan, Italy
Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects

3. 150 North Riverside
Height: 752 ft.
Floors: 54
Location: Chicago, USA
Architects: Goettsch Partners, Inc.

4. Raffles City Hangzhou
Height: 845 ft.
Floors: 61 and 59
Location: Hangzhou, China
Architects: UNStudio

5. The Ellipse
Height: 444 ft.
Floors: 41
Location: Jersey City, USA
Architects: Arquitectonica, Haines Lundberg Waehler

6. Azrieli Sharona
Height: 782 ft.
Floors: 57
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Architects: David Azrieli Group, Moshe Zur Architects and Town Planners Ltd.

7. River Point
Height: 730 ft.
Floors: 52
Location: Chicago, USA
Architects: Pickard Chilton Architects, Inc.

8. Ping An International Finance Center
Height: 1965 ft.
Floors: 116
Location: Shenzhen, China
Architects: Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, China Construction Design International

9. Arena Tower
Height: 489 ft.
Floors: 45
Location: London, UK
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

10. Britam Tower
Height: 656 ft.
Floors: 31
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Architects:  GAPP Architects Western Cape, Triad Architects