eVolo Magazine is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Skyscraper Competition. The Jury selected 3 winners and 14 honorable mentions from 206 projects received. The annual award established in 2006 recognizes visionary ideas that through the novel use of technology, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations, challenge the way we understand vertical architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments.

The FIRST PLACE was awarded to URBAN INTERCROPPING designed by Penghao Zhao, Hanyu Sun, Sinuo Jia, Jingxuan Li, Songping Jing, Yibo Gao, YuJie Zeng, and An Jiang from China. The project proposes a solution to bring agriculture into cities. It integrates the traditional intercropping planting system with novel urban spatial planning.

The recipients of the SECOND PLACE are Jianwei Zhu, Haoyu Liu, Yi Liu, and Yanchu Liang from China for their project THE STREAMLINE CONCERTO. This project investigates how to revitalize the Yellow River in China by restoring its bank and building a new architectural typology along it. Flora and fauna would be restored while new self-self-sutsainable infrastructure would be incorporated for millions of inhabitants.

OCEAN LUNGS designed by Mohammed Noeman Coutry, AbdelRahman Mahmoud Badawy, Toka Hassan Taman, Amr Khaled Mahmoud AbdElsstar, Hend Mahmoud Hassan Rashad, Menna Tallah Mahmoud Fouad, Mohamed Mahfouz Abdelaziz Abdelwadoud, Nagwa Khaled Mohamed Mohamed, Norhan Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Abdel-monem, and Omar Ahmed Salah Mohamed from Egypt received the THIRD PLACE in the competition. This project proposes a 1 kilometer deep underwater skyscraper designed to filter the CO2 excess in the oceans by using the latest carbon capture technology.

The Jury was formed by Jose Luis Campos Rosique [CEO, Crystalzoo], Zhe Huang, Li Huang, Yao Zhang [Principals, Office Off Course], Chang Lu, Duo Wang, Chufeng Wu, Shuxiao Zhang, Bozhi Zheng [Winners 2023 Skyscraper Competition], and Dirk U. Moench [Principal, INUCE]

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WINNERS

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1ST PLACE

“Urban Intercropping”
Penghao Zhao, Hanyu Sun, Sinuo Jia, Jingxuan Li, Songping Jing, Yibo Gao, YuJie Zeng, An Jiang
China

In today’s urbanization process, the distance between cities, agriculture, and natural ecology is gradually widening, leading to numerous issues. As the political, economic, and cultural hub of Xinjiang, Urumqi, located in northwest China, faces the contradiction between urban development and agricultural ecological resources. To address this, the architectural design concept of “Urban Intercropping” is proposed.

Inspired by the intercropping planting system in agriculture, this design integrates this planting pattern with urban spatial planning. By inserting architectural slicing devices into the “gaps” of the city, a new urban system is formed, enabling any point within the city to become a new system, thus realizing a de-centralized urban development model.

Simultaneously, the design concentrates on agricultural industries in high-rise buildings, leveraging the vertical intercropping planting model to maximize the utilization of space, light energy, and resources. Composed of mechanical devices, non-mechanical facilities, and movable living units, this architecture addresses issues such as urban housing shortages, traffic congestion, and a lack of green spaces, enhancing urban efficiency and revitalizing intermediate urban areas.
The design emphasizes the transformation of urban morphology. Depending on the varying functions and forms of urban buildings, skyscrapers are inserted into the urban space, creating a new urban system that further connects to the underground transportation system, relieving the city’s traffic burden.

Moreover, the design considers the construction of ecological corridors. To preserve air quality and prevent dust storms, specific plants are chosen for planting in ecological corridors, greenhouse membranes, and platforms, fostering green vegetation that stabilizes sand and purifies the air. This provides space for animal migration and healthy green spaces for pedestrians and transportation. Structures like multifunctional membranes, living units, and greenhouse boxes are also employed to create a favourable living environment and ecological structure.

Integrated with the ecological corridors are the generation and compositional arrangement of social unit spaces. Drawing inspiration from the Eight Queens Problem, functional units are rationally arranged to ensure the smooth transfer of movable community units without disrupting others. This design aims to achieve flexibility and efficiency in urban spaces. Regarding the optimization of detailed structural components, multifunctional membranes, and vertical and horizontal transportation equipment are combined with modular units and greenhouse boxes to form an organically connected system, fully leveraging their roles and effects in the overall design.

In conclusion, the architectural design concept of “Urban Intercropping” not only addresses the issues arising from the widening gap between cities, agriculture, and nature but also provides new ideas and solutions for sustainable urban development and ecological environmental protection through innovative design concepts and technological means.

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2ND PLACE

“The Streamline Concerto”
Jianwei Zhu , Haoyu Liu, Yi Liu, Yanchu Liang
China

The streamline concerto
The Yellow River, revered as the Mother River of the Chinese nation, has shaped the banks along its course and the North China Plain, creating an ideal environment for agricultural revolution and laying a solid natural and geographical foundation for the emergence and development of Chinese civilization. However, as human history has progressed, the ancient ecology of the Yellow River has increasingly deteriorated. Sandstorms have become more severe near the Yellow River basin, and due to excessive cultivation and grazing upstream, soil erosion in the Loess Plateau has intensified. This has led to significant sediment accumulation and a continual rise of the riverbed downstream, resulting in the current situation of the elevated river, or ‘hanging river’, posing an imminent threat of riverbank breaches and urban flooding.

This design focuses on the environmental challenges of the Yellow River, addressing soil erosion upstream and the ‘hanging river’ phenomenon downstream. It adopts a philosophy of Yin-Yang harmony and collaborative management to comprehensively tackle these issues, aiming to achieve natural balance and soil-water improvement. We aspire that, in three 50-year cycles, through phases of restoration, regeneration, and sustainability, the architecture will blend into nature, and the sandstorms will be effectively controlled, soil in the upstream will no longer be lost, and the Loess Plateau will flourish; the riverbed downstream will be reduced to a safe level, turning the ‘hanging river’ into history. People will no longer fear the Yellow River’s breaches flooding cities, and the river will once again be the life-sustaining Mother River. We consider that skyscrapers may not develop vertically and could have a more diverse definition which means if necessary, skyscraper can extend in any certain direction. The twisty form of the Yellow River inspires us to design a skyscraper which develops along the riverbank and integrate with the natural environment, aiming to solve the ecological problem of the Loess Plateau.

The upstream earth-restoring line
In the upstream soil erosion areas, during the restoration phase, an ecological barrier is established between the Loess Plateau and the Yellow River to prevent further loss of loess. In the regeneration phase, the loess itself is used as a protective layer against sandstorms. Mechanical arms are employed to excavate and reinforce cave dwellings on both sides of the ecological barrier’s loess slopes. On the side closer to the Yellow River, living spaces for the population are constructed, while on the side closer to the Loess Plateau, laboratories for improving the quality of the loess soil are established. In the sustainability phase, the completed Upstream line will return to nature as fertile soil, evolving into habitable cave dwelling communities.

The downstream earth-removing line
In the downstream ‘hanging river’ area, during the restoration phase, an ecological barrier is initially erected between the city and the Yellow River to mitigate the risk of urban flooding during flood seasons. Subsequently, the silt from the hanging river is converted into raw material for 3D-printed building materials. During the regeneration phase, local waste materials like wheat straw, reeds, or plants like tamarisk and sagebrush are processed into protective films against sandstorms. Mechanical arms print modular units on both sides of the ecological barrier’s river embankments. On the side closer to the plain, living spaces for the population are constructed, while on the hanging river side, laboratories are established for improving the Yellow River’s water quality. In the sustainability phase, the completed Downstream line will return to nature as fertile soil, evolving into habitable modular community.

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3RD PLACE

“Ocean Lungs Skyscraper”
Mohammed Noeman Coutry, AbdelRahman Mahmoud Badawy, Toka Hassan Taman, Amr Khaled Mahmoud AbdElsstar, Hend Mahmoud Hassan Rashad, Menna Tallah Mahmoud Fouad, Mohamed Mahfouz Abdelaziz Abdelwadoud, Nagwa Khaled Mohamed Mohamed, Norhan Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Abdel-monem, Omar Ahmed Salah Mohamed
Egypt

Our oceans face a double threat: rising CO2 levels and the devastation of coral reefs. These issues are intricately linked. CO2 dissolving in the water creates carbonic acid, leading to ocean acidification. This acidification weakens coral skeletons and delays their growth and survival. Coral reefs, teeming with marine life, are essential for the health of our oceans. The Ocean Lungs project tackles both problems simultaneously, offering a glimmer of hope for the future of our marine environment.

Ocean Lungs envisioned as a skyscraper positioned 1000 meters beneath the surface with a floating beacon above, embodies a lifeline for the ocean. At its core, the project harnesses state-of-the-art carbon capture technology. Imagine submerged, sphere-shaped segments enveloped in specialized membranes like high-performance, microporous sulfonated polyphenylsulfone (sPPS). These membranes allow CO2 to pass through while remaining impermeable to salt and other minerals, functioning as the ocean’s purifier by removing CO2 and other pollutants. This initiative directly confronts the root cause of acidification, promoting healthier marine environments crucial for the survival and prosperity of oceanic life.

Integral to Ocean Lungs is not just CO2 capture, but the creation of a vibrant artificial coral reef. The core structure, constructed from eco-friendly concrete infused with aragonite (a key component of coral skeletons), serves as a foundation for cultivating a diverse array of coral species. This sanctuary emulates the structural complexity and biodiversity of natural reefs, providing a haven for diverse marine life and encouraging the growth of resilient coral types. This enhances the ecological resilience of marine habitats, fostering a thriving ecosystem within the project itself.

Sustainability is paramount. The upper portion of the Ocean Lungs utilizes materials that serve a dual purpose. High-efficiency photovoltaic cells clad the upper segment, harnessing solar energy. Additionally, renewable energy sources like tidal and ocean thermal conversion power the project. This ensures a clean and self-sustaining system with a minimal ecological footprint.

At the heart of the project lies a commitment to scientific exploration and understanding. The tower serves as a platform for continuous monitoring of the marine ecosystem, granting researchers unprecedented access to real-time data on water quality, marine behavior, and the health of the artificial reef.
Ocean Lungs is not just a singular architectural feat but a scalable model with the potential for global implementation. By actively combating CO2 rise, fostering coral reef revival, and empowering scientific research, Ocean Lungs face the threats of acidification and biodiversity loss. Through its visionary approach, the project aspires to inspire a future where human intervention actively contributes to the healing and thriving of marine ecosystems. This is where innovation meets conservation, breathing life back into the oceans.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

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Zhengsheng Pu, Bingrui Liu, Jingxiang Hong, Yunqian Wang, Yujie Feng, Kehan Sun
China

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Kai Xu, Fangyuan Wang, Shuyang Lin, Gaole Wei, SongLin Liu, YuHan Zhang, Jiayi Feng, Chengshuai Liu, Zijie Gao
China

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Pablo Allen Vizan, Inma Herves González
Germany

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Yifan Shen, Yue Zhuo, Xiong Fei
United States

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Lee Sang-min, Baek Changheon, Kim Yong Hee, Jung Chang Gyun, Kang Somang, Jo Youngjae, Seo Chaebin
South Korea

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Xinyu Ma, Shengming Li, Zehui Li, Changyu Lu, Xinyu Ma
China

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Fahim Ashab Faroquee, Mahir Aritro
Bangladesh

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Lee Jun, Nam Ki Hun, Hwang Seo Hui
South Korea

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Shen Chengzhi, Chen Jiahao, Xu Yi
China

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HSH Design Studio – Habib Shahhosaini (principal), Zahra Alishi, Yasna Aliakbari, Sahar Rezaei, Kousar Panahi, Sara Soleimani, Soheyl Behbodi, Asma Irani, Armaghan Shoaei
Iran