London’s Shard has received the 2013 Emporis Skyscraper Award. The skyscraper, which is the tallest building in all of western Europe, beat out hundreds of structures from around the world for the top honour.
Italian architect Renzo Piano, known for his work on Amsterdam’s Nemo Science Centre and the New York Times building, designed the 306-metre skyscraper. The jury cited the building’s glass fragment-shaped design, which it felt was one of a kind.
“Construction of The Shard was complicated by the particularly tight site and therefore needed innovative planning,” said the jury. “This makes the result all the more impressive: a skyscraper that is recognized immediately and which is already considered London’s new emblem.”
Austria’s DC Tower 1 earned second place, followed by China’s Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort. The 102-metre tower located on Lake Tai resembles a gigantic ring.
Last year’s winner was Mississauga’s own Absolute World Towers (dubbed the Marilyn Monroe buildings).
The full list of Emporis Skyscraper award winners are:
- The Shard (United Kingdom): Renzo Piano Building Workshop S.r.l.
- DC Tower 1 (Austria): Dominique Perrault Architecture
- Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort (China): MAD, Ltd.
- Cayan Tower (United Arab Emirates): Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
- One Central Park East (Australia): Ateliers Jean Nouvel, PTW Architects Pty. Ltd.
- Flame Towers (Azerbaijan): HOK
- Mercury City (Russia): Frank Williams & Partners, M.M.Posokhin, G.L. Sirota
- Ardmore Residence (Singapore): UNStudio
- Nanfung Commercial, Hospitality and Exhibition Complex (China): Aedas
- Tour Carpe Diem (France): Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP
