Special Mention
2006 Skyscraper Competition
Guillem Augé, Anna Vergés
Spain
The skyscraper for the 21st century must respond to 100 years of evolution in technology and society. New materials and structures allow the construction of buildings which are 700 to 900 meters high. More research will allow rising up to 1200 meters. The skyscrapers are moving from the old North American or European cities to the new Asian and South American cities. They used to be constructed in the city’s downtown, but are changing to the suburbs, with the intention of revitalizing them.
In the past, they used to be offices in high-density financial districts, such as Manhattan, London, and Hong Kong. Now, skyscrapers have multifunctional spaces for commercial, living, and working activities. The detached single family house, the “spam”, has infected the earth as a virus, and if we apply this model to the rest of the world, with its actual growth of population, the Earth will soon be over urbanized. Europe and the United States export their image of the family, the house, the garden, the car and the dog, but it has been proven that this model generates insecurity, environmental problems and is not ”sustainable” for all. In the third world countries, the “fabelas” are also common around the urban centers, extending over the territory like the “single family house” model.
This project is not a single building, but a group of buildings that resemble the branches of a tree. At one point the building adds more than 1.000.000 sqm of space, with an implantation of just 2500 sqm. It will be located in suburban areas, which will benefit from its multiple services and amenities. This skyscraper could be constructed using the same variables around the world as a strategic solution, but will change in each place depending on the climate, density, and development of the city.
The basement floor adapts its shape and height to the existing buildings. It has a big greenhouse with trees and plants, which rise the temperature of the air between opposite extremes to create currents that move turbines. We also have a water container for the recycling of the rainwater, also used to control the building’s climate.
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