2024 Skyscraper Competition winners announced

eVolo Magazine has announced the results of the 2024 Skyscraper Competition. Submissions were accepted in February, with a total of 206 entries submitted. Various ideas for skyscrapers that respond to the changing modern environment and socially debated urban issues have been presented. Among these, three winning entries and fourteen honorable mentions were selected, showcasing innovative use of technology, materials, programs, design, and spatial organization to understand skyscrapers and demonstrate the relationship between nature and the built environment.

The first place was awarded to the ‘Urban Intercropping’ project by the team of Penghao Zhao from China. This project proposes a method to introduce agriculture into urban planning by applying the traditional intercropping technique, which involves planting different crops together.
The second place went to the ‘The Streamline Concerto’ by Jianwei Zhu’s team from China. This project aims to revitalize the Yellow River basin by restoring the river and constructing new building typologies along its course. The goal is to create infrastructure that helps restore the ecosystem and supports the self-sufficiency of local residents.
The third place was awarded to ‘Ocean Lungs’ by Mohammed Noeman Coutry’s team from Egypt. This underwater skyscraper, located 1km below sea level, employs the latest carbon capture technology to filter out excess carbon dioxide from the ocean.

1st Place

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

The ‘Urban Intercropping’ project addresses issues faced by the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi during urbanization. As the city develops, its agricultural structure and natural ecosystem face challenges. The project proposes integrating intercropping patterns into urban spaces, creating a decentralized urban development model where each unit becomes a focal point.
This new urban system introduces architectural devices into urban gaps, using vertical farming models to maximize the use of space, light, and resources. The buildings, composed of mechanical devices, non-mechanical facilities, and movable residential units, aim to resolve urban issues like housing shortages, traffic congestion, and the loss of green spaces. The project also promotes ecological corridors and greenhouse boxes for air purification, aiding animal movement and providing healthy green spaces for pedestrians.

2nd Place

The Streamline Concerto
Jianwei Zhu, Haoyu Liu, Yi Liu, and Yanchu Liang

The Yellow River, known as the cradle of ancient civilization, has been the backbone of agriculture in the region. However, over-cultivation and excessive grazing have led to ecological degradation. Soil erosion at the riverbed has caused frequent sandstorms and floods, threatening local livelihoods. The project focuses on improving the natural balance and soil and water quality of the Yellow River.
In the upstream restoration phase, ecological barriers are established between the Loess Plateau and the Yellow River to prevent soil erosion. In the regeneration phase, the loess acts as a protective layer against sandstorms, with residential caves constructed on the river-facing slopes and soil improvement laboratories on the plateau-facing side. The sustainability phase sees the fertile upstream area return to nature as fertile soil, evolving into habitable cave dwelling communities.
In the downstream restoration phase, ecological barriers between cities and the Yellow River prevent flooding. During regeneration phase, protective layers are created using plants like straw and reeds. Modular units are formed on both sides of the ecological barrier’s river embankments. The side closer to the plain becomes residential spaces for the inhabitants, while the riverfront houses laboratories for water quality improvement. In the sustainability phase, the completed downstream line is regenerated into fertile soil, resulting in habitable modular communities.

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, and Omar Ahmed Salah Mohamed

Today, the oceans face rising carbon dioxide levels and coral reef degradation. Dissolved carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid, leading to ocean acidification, which weakens coral skeletons and hinders coral growth and survival. As coral reefs are crucial habitats for diverse marine life, addressing these interconnected issues is vital for the future of the marine environment.
Ocean Lungs combines a skyscraper located 1km below the sea surface with a floating research center, symbolizing a lifeline for the ocean. The core feature is advanced carbon capture technology. sphere-shaped segments wrapped in high-performance, microporous sulfonated polyphenylsulfone (sPPS) membranes selectively filter carbon dioxide and other pollutants, purifying seawater. Porous bundles made of eco-friendly concrete infused with aragonite, an essential component of coral skeletons, serve as artificial reefs, mimicking natural reef structures to provide shelter for marine life and support coral species growth. The upper part of Ocean Lungs is covered with high-efficiency solar cells, creating a self-sufficient system powered by solar, tidal, and ocean thermal energy conversion, minimizing its carbon footprint.

Honorable Mention

Cloud Net Above The Three Gorges
Zhengsheng Pu, Bingrui Liu, Jingxiang Hong, Yunqian Wang, Yujie Feng, Kehan Sun

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

Memory Drop Skyscraper
Pablo Allen Vizan, Inma Herves González

Urban Framing Depot
Yifan Shen, Yue Zhuo, Xiong Fei

Vertical Mega Region
Lee Sang-min, Baek Changheon, Kim Yong Hee, Jung Chang Gyun, Kang Somang, Jo Youngjae, Seo Chaebin

Middle Land Skyscraper
Xinyu Ma, Shengming Li, Zehui Li, Changyu Lu, Xinyu Ma

Aerofiber Apex Skyscraper
Fahim Ashab Faroquee, Mahir Aritro

Eternal Energy Tower
Lee Jun, Nam Ki Hun, Hwang Seo Hui

The Memory of Aleppo: Collecting Cities Memories
Shen Chengzhi, Chen Jiahao, Xu Yi

Silkworm Skyscraper: Self-Replicating Hotel
HSH Design Studio_Habib Shahhosaini (principal), Zahra Alishi, Yasna Aliakbari, Sahar Rezaei, Kousar Panahi, Sara Soleimani, Soheyl Behbodi, Asma Irani, Armaghan Shoaei