Sydney’s One Central Park has been declared the best tall building in the Asian and Australasian region by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
The building, designed by French architecture practice Ateliers Jean Nouvel in collaboration with Australian firm PTW, was recognised at the Best Tall Building awards for its novel use of hydroponics, in the form of over 1100 square metres of vertical garden, and its heliostat technology, both unusual additions to tall buildings.
“The project presages a future in which biomimicry is no longer a radical concept in architecture, while inverting a perception that tall buildings can only block light and rob the urban environment of natural greenery,” a CTBUH statement said.
CTBUH director Dr Antony Wood said One Central Park’s win was a major recognition from the architectural community of the building’s quality and the team effort involved.
“We extend our sincere congratulations to the whole project team,” Dr Wood said.
Architect Jean Nouvel of Ateliers Jean Nouvel said it was a tremendous honour for One Central Park to be recognised on the international stage.
“This is a remarkable achievement for the entire design and project management team”, he said.
The building, a joint venture between Frasers Property and Sekisui House, features a signature mark of Nouvel – a huge cantilever, which is used as a sky garden and incorporates a light-reflecting heliostat.
The awards, judged by a panel of industry experts and which review new projects for their contribution to the advancement of tall buildings, urban environment and sustainability, attracted 88 entries from across the globe this year, with the largest number coming from Asia.
Trends this year included a large number of renovation projects; buildings incorporating vertical greenery; programs and uses not typically accommodated in buildings, such as higher education; and buildings exploring new shapes.
“The submissions this year reflect the incredible diversity of tall buildings being built around the world,” awards jury chair and founding principal of Studio Gang Architects Jeanne Gang said. “Even more so, they reflect the dawning of a global recognition that tall buildings have a critical role to play in a rapidly changing climate and urban environment.”
Other regional winners were:
- The Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, Portland, USA (Americas)
- De Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands (Europe)
- Cayan Tower, Dubai, UAE (Middle East & Africa)
An overall winner for Best Tall Building Worldwide will be chosen from the regional winners at the CTBUH Annual Awards Symposium in Chicago, US on 6 November.
