3XN, BIG, and David Chipperfield Architects among finalists of the 2022 International High-Rise Award

Finalists of the 2022 International High-Rise Award have been announced. Awarded every two years, a total of 5 projects from 4 continents were chosen from a group of 34 project submissions. Now in its 10th edition, the awards program recognizes "a high-rise building that combines exemplary sustainability, outer shape, inner spatial qualities, and social aspects to form a superior building."

Beginning in 2004, the awards have been given jointly by the City of Frankfurt am Main, the German Architecture Museum (DAM), and DekaBank to new projects. This year's jury included MVRDV’s Sven Thorissen, who acted as chairman. Thorissen was joined by nine other architects, academics, engineers, city government, and cultural and banking officials from around Germany. The winning project will receive a reward of €50,000 ($49,500 USD).

View this year's finalists below.

Quay Quarter Tower by 3XN (Sydney, Australia)

Jury comments: "The Quay Quarter Tower is an identity-generating part of the redevelopment of Sydney’s central business district, the Circular Quay Area. It adjoins Sydney Cove, the bay behind the famous opera house. The site was previously occupied by a classic office tower that no longer met today’s requirements. Instead of demolishing the building, as was usually the case in the past, it was decided to integrate large parts of the existing supporting structure into a new high-rise building. In this way, two-thirds of the beams, columns, and floor slabs, as well as almost the entire core built in the 1970s, could be retained. These main aspects of the radical sustainability concept helped save almost 7500 tons of carbon dioxide compared to a complete demolition and conventional new construction." Read more here.

Singapore State Courts by CPG Consultants Pte Ltd. and Serie Architects and Multiply Architects (Singapore)

Jury comments: "The new Singapore State Courts complex is three times the size of the existing courts building from the 1970s. The preservation of the octagonal building and the relatively small site area made it necessary to stack the 53 courtrooms and 54 hearing rooms. To allow more daylight into the building, the complex was divided into two slender 35-story towers connected by glazed foot bridges up to twelve meters long. Unlike conventional courthouses, which usually have a horizontal layout and are designed to be visually closed to the outside, the new State Courts were arranged vertically and conceived to be approachable, or symbolically open, to the public by omitting an exterior façade." Read more here.

The Bryant by David Chipperfield (New York, NY)

Jury comments: "Surrounded by historical neighbors such as the New York Public Library, the hotel and residential tower stands at the south west corner of Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan, where it blends in with the buildings alternating in height along 40th Street. The 33-story skyscraper follows the classic tripartite composition of the New York tower: base, middle section, and crown." Read more here.

TrIIIple Towers by Henke Schreieck Architekten (Vienna, Austria)

Jury comments: "Located in Vienna’s 3rd district, directly on the Danube Canal, the high-rise ensemble consists of three residential towers in dialog with each other. In terms of zoning, the individual heights of the projections and recesses relate to the surrounding buildings. The towers are connected by a two-story podium that links the TownTown Business Park with the Danube Canal." Read more here.

Vancouver House by BIG (Vancouver, Canada)

Jury comments: "Vancouver House, an ensemble of mixed-use podium and slender residential tower, is located at the main entry point to downtown Vancouver, just off the freeway approach to Granville Bridge, forming a gateway to the city. The design aimed to preserve existing sightlines through the city at this location, while at the same time revitalizing the previously unattractive surroundings." Read more here.

The overall winner will be announced at a formal ceremony held in Frankfurt’s historic Paulskirche and later be featured in an exhibition at the DAM along with an exclusive book publication to follow later in the year. 

More information about the award can be found here.