MVRDV's Valley takes the top spot in the Emporis Skyscraper Awards

The top ten tall buildings in the world have been unveiled as part of the 22nd annual Emporis Skyscraper Award. This year, the number one spot goes to MVRDV’s Valley, a mixed-use building complex with three towers that reference mountainsides and valleys. The ensemble is located in Amsterdam and includes offices, apartments, shops, and cultural institutes. 

As detailed in the award announcement, Valley’s three peaks switch between a sheer glass façade and protruding stone-clad windows and balconies. The center of the building features a publicly accessible terraced valley, and its jutting elements create a variety of unique housing units. 

“Valley looks like an oasis in a business district dominated by regular office buildings. It is not only an outstanding architectural statement but also an excellent example of sustainable and climate-friendly building construction,” said the jury.

In this year’s competition, the jurors placed more emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and clever design over height in their evaluations. “Over the last years, we have seen a significant shift in how skyscrapers are designed, constructed as well as perceived by the public,” said Daniel Schuldt, Senior Manager at Emporis.

The award winners were selected by an international jury of experts out of a worldwide pool of 600 eligible high-rises. This is the second time a building in the Netherlands has managed to claim the premier spot. 

Take a look at this year's top ten skyscrapers below.

1. Valley
Height: 330 ft / 100 m
Floors: 26
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Architects: MVRDV

2. 111 West 57th Street
Height: 1,428 ft / 435 m
Floors: 84
Location: New York City, USA
Architects: SHoP Architects

3. NV Tower
Height: 348 ft / 106 m
Floors: 20
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Architects: A&A Architects

4. Antares Tower
Height: 341 ft / 104 m
Floors: 27
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Architects: Studio Odile DECQ architectes urbanistes

5. Bundang Doosan Tower
Height: 328 ft / 100 m
Floors: 27
Location: Seongnam, South Korea
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Gansam Architects & Partners

6. Warsaw Unit
Height: 666 ft / 203 m
Floors: 46
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Architects: Projekt Polsko-Belgijska Pracownia Architektury

7. Premier Tower
Height: 807 ft / 246 m
Floors: 78 
Location: Melbourne, Australia 
Architects: Elenberg Fraser

8. Sven
Height: 755 ft / 230 m
Floors: 67
Location: New York City, USA
Architects: Handel Architects 

9. One Park Drive
Height: 672 ft / 205 m
Floors: 58
Location: London, UK
Architects: Herzog & de Meuron, Adamson Associates

10. CIBC Square South Tower
Height: 791 ft / 241 m
Floors: 52
Location: Toronto, Canada
Architects: WilkinsonEyre, Adamson Associates