This is the ninth competition of this kind. 525 projects from 43 countries took part in it. Three winners and 20 laureates were selected by a strict jury, which included leading world experts in the field of architecture and design.
The projects that you will see here will not be implemented tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow. However, they provide a glimpse into how cities may change in the future.
The first prize was awarded to a project that combined the features of national Korean architecture with the features of a modern multi-purpose high-rise building. 
Second place went to a skyscraper-city with residential premises, recreation areas and commercial offices - all of this fit into a giant cube. 
The environmentally friendly skyscraper received third place. It is supposed to neutralize greenhouse gases and thus reduce their content in the atmosphere. 
“Sandy Babylon” is a group of environmentally friendly structures that, according to the author of the project, should serve as scientific bases and attract tourists. The main building material for the construction of these towers will be sand processed using a 3-D printer using solar energy. 
A new look at the idea of a greenhouse. This skyscraper will serve as a research center for weather forecasting and other scientific research. 
This skyscraper rushed upward to rid aircraft of hydrocarbon dependence during takeoff using electromagnetism. 
Vertical junction station for super-high-speed trains. 
A giant water tower collects water during the rainy seasons and waters the land during dry periods. 
The “New Tower of Babel” is a metal structure that the author proposes to build in the desert as an “open city.” 
The Bamboo Forest project is intended primarily for Asia. The author suggests enclosing the building with permanent bamboo scaffolding as an additional reinforcement of the structure in case of an earthquake. Another advantage of this project is the possibility of growing vertical gardens. 
An abstract structure that the author proposes to build in Hong Kong and use as a water tower, a station for public transport and residential premises. 
A “Superfilter” skyscraper that will “inhale” carbon dioxide and other harmful gases and “exhale” concentrated oxygen. 
A structure in the shape of a giant umbrella that generates “green” energy. 
In the event of a strong earthquake, this building, instead of collapsing, will sink into unstable soil. 
Project for large cities. Designed to accommodate as many residents as possible right on the site of important transport hubs. 
“Heavenly Village” is a project for Los Angeles. Connects several districts of the city. 
The author of this underground project proposes to reconstruct an abandoned mine in Lubumbashi (Congo) into university buildings. 
The “Blooming Tower” is proposed to be built in Malaysia. It will house a sculpture park, an open-air museum, a rooftop cafe and much more. 
This underwater structure will act as a drainage hole, absorbing debris floating on the surface of the ocean. 
An urban building that can regenerate groundwater. 
Another “green” project, the idea of which is to optimize the use of soil and biomass. 
The project with many arches is an attempt to combine classical and modern in the historical part of Chicago. 
To solve the problem of a shortage of housing for the ever-growing population of cities, people from time immemorial have built more and more new houses - and the taller the building, the more opportunities for employment and living space it provided.
Burj Mubarak Al Kabir, Subiyah, Kuwait
The designed height of this skyscraper will reach 1001 meters and will become the main decoration of the Silk City in Kuwait. The building will accommodate stadiums, hotels, retail stores and more. The Burj Mubarak is scheduled to be completed in 2016.
Heavenly City, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
It is expected that the construction of the Sky City skyscraper will be completed in June of this year. The skyscraper has every chance of becoming the tallest tower in the world, overtaking its competitor - Dubai's Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates.
China Zun, Beijing, China
Construction of China Zun or China Zun will be completed in 2016. The height of the 108-story tower will be 528 meters. It will be the tallest building in Beijing and the second tallest high-rise in China, second only 50 meters to the Goldin Finance 117 skyscraper in Tianjin.
Royal Tower, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
The Royal Tower will become the centerpiece of the urban area in Jeddah near the Red Sea. This skyscraper will rise 1 kilometer high and have 200 floors. Builders are making every effort to complete the construction of the tallest skyscraper in the world by 2018.
Pinan International Financial Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
Construction of one of the tallest buildings in China will be completed by 2016. The 115-story skyscraper will reach 660 meters in height.
Goldin Finance 117, Tianjin, China
Upon completion of construction in 2015, the height of the tower will be 597 meters, and the number of floors will be 117 floors. The high-rise will consist of offices, a shopping center and a hotel.
1 World Trade Center, New York, USA
The World Trade Center is set to open its doors to visitors in 2014. At 544 meters tall, it will be the tallest building in America and will house office space, luxury restaurants and an observation deck.
GIFT Diamond Tower, Gandhinagar, India
The Gujarat International Finance and Technology City (or GIFT Diamond Tower) will be built in the business district of Gujarat in India. The main goal of this project is to provide the population with high quality physical infrastructure (electricity, water, gas, telecommunications and much more). The complex will include offices, schools, residential premises, hotels, conference centers and retail space.
Buenos Aires Forum, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This spiral-shaped tower, 1000 meters high, will stand in the center of Buenos Aires in 2016. The cost of the entire high-rise project is estimated at $3.33 billion. If construction of the tower is not frozen, it will become the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China
The fame of this tower was brought by two Russian daredevils who climbed to the very top of the 632-meter building. We will be able to see the Shanghai Tower in a year. It promises to be the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world.
World One, Mumbai, India
World One is a 117 meter long luxury residential tower under construction that will house 117 luxury apartments. The skyscraper is set to become the tallest residential building in the world. Completion of construction is scheduled for 2014.
Peruri 88, Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta has long been an overcrowded city, lacking both green space and living space. Peruri 88 Tower will be a multi-level, 400-meter city with green roofs, residential spaces, hotels, offices, shops and entertainment centers. Construction of the high-rise will be completed in 2017.
Lotte World Tower, Seoul, South Korea
The 123-story supertall skyscraper currently under construction at the Lotte World entertainment complex in Seoul is expected to open in 2015. The 555-meter-tall building will include offices, shops, hotels and an observation deck.
Signature Tower, Jakarta, Indonesia
Construction of this tower is planned to begin this year and be completed in 2020. It will be a 111-story building with a height of 638 meters, which will house an observatory, a luxury hotel, office space and a shopping center.
Okhta Center, St. Petersburg, Russia
Okhta Center will be the first super-tall skyscraper in the city of St. Petersburg, and its construction is planned to be completed by 2018. It will include scientific, sports and entertainment complexes, an observation deck, a ball-shaped planetarium and a hotel complex.
Wuhan Greenland Center, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
The specific, aerodynamic design of the tower will help reduce wind resistance and vortex air flows that usually form around high-rise buildings. Energy from the wind will be used to heat or cool the air entering the building. This 606-meter skyscraper is expected to be built in 2016.
Evolvo Award was established in 2006, it is dedicated to the so-called “vertical existence” - it recognizes outstanding architectural ideas in the field of skyscraper construction.
“Through innovative use of technology, materials, programs, aesthetics and spatial organization, these ideas challenge our understanding of vertical architecture and its relationship with nature and the built environment,” say the award’s founders.
In 2015, a jury of leading architectural and design experts selected three winners and highlighted fifteen additional architectural works.
1st place. Skyscraper "Essence". Ewa Odyas, Agnieszka Morga, Konrad Basan, Jakub Pudo, Poland. In the densely populated center of a big city, there is a secret garden that combines architecture and nature. The main goal of the project is to locate a non-architectural phenomenon in an urban space. The main body of the building is divided into eleven natural landscapes. They form a naturally occurring sequence that includes water floors, aquariums, jungles and more.
2nd place. Invisible perception: Shanti skyscraper. Suraksha Bhatla, Sharan Sundar, India. This project is a solution for the fishermen in Nochikuppam. The vertical structure consists of construction debris such as pipes and fittings.
3rd place. Cybertopia: the future of architectural space, the death of analogue cities. Egor Orlov, Russia. The complex spatial structure of the future metropolis combines the physical and digital worlds. The residential part of the skyscraper is a constantly growing and developing spatial complex. From the frame structures and 3D printed spatial elements, a structure emerges for subsequent changes.
Oasis of Noah: vertical bioenvironment. Ma Yidong, Zhu Zhonghui, Qin Zhengu, Jiang Zhe, China. Transforms drilling rigs into a biological environment, which will allow you to immediately respond to an oil spill, restore the ecosystem and provide shelter to affected living organisms. Spilled oil will be processed into catalyst and construction materials. The skyscraper will also serve as a place for recreation and research. The underwater structures will be attached to pipes with floating foundations at the ends.
Cloud catcher. Taehan Kim, Song Eui Lee, Yusin Ha, Republic of Korea. Catching and redistributing clouds. The movement of clouds is from where there is an abundance of them to where there is not enough of them. The project will change the color of planet Earth.
Air Monument: atmospheric database. Shi Yuqing, Hu Yifei, Zhang Juntong, China. “We hope that this building will automatically take in air and store samples,” the authors say.
Exploring the Arctic: Mixed-use development in Dickson Harbor. Nikolay Zaitsev, Elizaveta Lopatina, Russia. The project involves a complete transformation of the Arctic port. It is necessary to create comfortable conditions for living and working in one of the strategically important ports of the Northern Sea Route. The initial idea is to design a man-made microcosm, separated from the harsh arctic natural conditions, but providing a dynamic balance between man and nature.
Times Square 3015. Blake Freitas, Grace Chen, Alexi Karavokiris, USA. Our planet is overpopulated, and this project is a chance to explore the spatial and natural possibilities of vertical existence. The tower will solve problems of overcrowding, farming, oxygen production and aging infrastructure.
Refuge Tower. Qidan Chen, China. Noah's Ark to support the diversity of living organisms. Guarantees the presence of three vital elements: light, air and water.
Aurora in Chernobyl. Zhang Zehua, Song Qiang, Liu Yameng, China. A project for those who want to return to Chernobyl. The skyscraper contains air and water purification systems; internal devices are powered by solar energy. The authors promise that their project is the Garden of Eden, from where a new safe life will begin for Chernobyl.
Deep skin: skyscrapers in New York as a changing organism. Yunsu Cheung, Ge Zhang, Chuanjingwei Wang, China. The design of the skyscraper is close to the structure of the skin of a living organism, or rather, similar to the skin of a shark.
Vertical skyscraper factories in NYC. Stuart Beattie, UK. This project explores an alternative to inefficient horizontal industrial development.
Biopyramid: combating desertification. David Sepulveda, Wagdi Moussa, Ishaan Kumar, Wesley Townsend, Colin Joyce, Arianna Armelli, Salvador Juarez, USA. The authors of the project are destroying the line between cultural heritage sites and recreational areas. The space of the bio-pyramid skyscraper will unite the capital of Egypt, Cairo, and the legendary pyramids in the Sahara Desert.
To solve the problem of a shortage of housing for the ever-growing population of cities, people from time immemorial have built more and more new houses - and the taller the building, the more opportunities for employment and living space it provided.
Burj Mubarak Al Kabir, Subiyah, Kuwait
The designed height of this skyscraper will reach 1001 meters and will become the main decoration of the Silk City in Kuwait. The building will accommodate stadiums, hotels, retail stores and more. The Burj Mubarak is scheduled to be completed in 2016.
Heavenly City, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
It is expected that the construction of the Sky City skyscraper will be completed in June of this year. The skyscraper has every chance of becoming the tallest tower in the world, overtaking its competitor - Dubai's Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates.
China Zun, Beijing, China
Construction of China Zun or China Zun will be completed in 2016. The height of the 108-story tower will be 528 meters. It will be the tallest building in Beijing and the second tallest high-rise in China, second only 50 meters to the Goldin Finance 117 skyscraper in Tianjin.
Royal Tower, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
The Royal Tower will become the centerpiece of the urban area in Jeddah near the Red Sea. This skyscraper will rise 1 kilometer high and have 200 floors. Builders are making every effort to complete the construction of the tallest skyscraper in the world by 2018.
Pinan International Financial Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
Construction of one of the tallest buildings in China will be completed by 2016. The 115-story skyscraper will reach 660 meters in height.
Goldin Finance 117, Tianjin, China
Upon completion of construction in 2015, the height of the tower will be 597 meters, and the number of floors will be 117 floors. The high-rise will consist of offices, a shopping center and a hotel.
1 World Trade Center, New York, USA
The World Trade Center is set to open its doors to visitors in 2014. At 544 meters tall, it will be the tallest building in America and will house office space, luxury restaurants and an observation deck.
GIFT Diamond Tower, Gandhinagar, India
The Gujarat International Finance and Technology City (or GIFT Diamond Tower) will be built in the business district of Gujarat in India. The main goal of this project is to provide the population with high quality physical infrastructure (electricity, water, gas, telecommunications and much more). The complex will include offices, schools, residential premises, hotels, conference centers and retail space.
Buenos Aires Forum, Buenos Aires, Argentina
This spiral-shaped tower, 1000 meters high, will stand in the center of Buenos Aires in 2016. The cost of the entire high-rise project is estimated at $3.33 billion. If construction of the tower is not frozen, it will become the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China
The fame of this tower was brought by two Russian daredevils who climbed to the very top of the 632-meter building. We will be able to see the Shanghai Tower in a year. It promises to be the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world.
World One, Mumbai, India
World One is a 117 meter long luxury residential tower under construction that will house 117 luxury apartments. The skyscraper is set to become the tallest residential building in the world. Completion of construction is scheduled for 2014.
Peruri 88, Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta has long been an overcrowded city, lacking both green space and living space. Peruri 88 Tower will be a multi-level, 400-meter city with green roofs, residential spaces, hotels, offices, shops and entertainment centers. Construction of the high-rise will be completed in 2017.
Lotte World Tower, Seoul, South Korea
The 123-story supertall skyscraper currently under construction at the Lotte World entertainment complex in Seoul is expected to open in 2015. The 555-meter-tall building will include offices, shops, hotels and an observation deck.
Signature Tower, Jakarta, Indonesia
Construction of this tower is planned to begin this year and be completed in 2020. It will be a 111-story building with a height of 638 meters, which will house an observatory, a luxury hotel, office space and a shopping center.
Okhta Center, St. Petersburg, Russia
Okhta Center will be the first super-tall skyscraper in the city of St. Petersburg, and its construction is planned to be completed by 2018. It will include scientific, sports and entertainment complexes, an observation deck, a ball-shaped planetarium and a hotel complex.
Wuhan Greenland Center, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
The specific, aerodynamic design of the tower will help reduce wind resistance and vortex air flows that usually form around high-rise buildings. Energy from the wind will be used to heat or cool the air entering the building. This 606-meter skyscraper is expected to be built in 2016.
Established in 2006, the annual Best Skyscraper competition is one of the world's most prestigious awards for high-rise architecture. The idea of the competition is to recognize outstanding ideas that consider skyscraper design through the introduction of new technologies and methods to solve the economic, social and cultural problems of a modern city, taking into account the scarcity of natural resources and infrastructure, increasing population, pollution and unplanned urbanization. The purpose of the competition is to explore the relationship between the skyscraper and the natural world, the skyscraper and the community, and the skyscraper and the city.
First place - LO2P skyscraper
Conceived as a giant turbine, the LO2P skyscraper will be located in New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world due to the exponential growth of population and cars. The idea behind this skyscraper is to recycle old cars and use them as building material for a new structure. The building is designed as a giant lung that will purify New Delhi's air through a series of large-scale greenhouses that act as filters to absorb airborne particles. The processed heat and carbon dioxide will be used to grow plants that produce biofuel.
Skyscraper LO2P
Second place - Flat Tower
Flat Tower is a new high-density typology that deviates from the traditional skyscraper. The building is based on a medium-height dome structure that covers a large area while maintaining its beauty and previous function. The dome is perforated like cages with skylights that provide direct sunlight to the interior space. The large surface area of the dome is designed to allow the collection of rainwater and solar energy. Residential and office spaces are planned on the upper floors, and retail and entertainment infrastructure on the lower floors. An automated transport system will connect all parts of the building. The project can be used in any medium to large city, although it was designed for the old industrial area of Rennes in France.
Third place - Re-imagining the hoover dam
The current amenities of the world famous Hoover Dam in the United States consist of an observation deck, a bridge and a gallery scattered on both sides of the dam. This project aims to rebuild these structures by merging them into a single vertical super structure with the addition of a vertical aquarium and gallery.
Re-imagining the hoover dam
NeoTax
NeoTax is a three-dimensional network infrastructure formed in a horizontal and vertical plane. The network is based on a system of modules, which can be considered as individual blocks or districts, and allows for the possibility of adding new modules.
NeoTax
PoroCity
PoroCity is a project to redevelop and rehabilitate the Dharavi area of Mumbai, India, one of the largest slums in the world. The basis of the design is the rectangular Sierpinski pyramid. The structure consists of blocks divided into 3x9 meters, forming housing compartments with terraces, where there will also be businesses, offices, educational institutions, shopping and medical centers. It will be possible to move around using elevators, escalators and funiculars moving in different planes.
Tower for the Dead – Tower of the Dead
Given overcrowding and land shortages, this project involves the construction of an underground vertical cemetery for Mexico City, where family members of the deceased can descend to pay their respects.
Tower for the Dead
Fish Tower
The fish tower is a prototype for a vertical fish farm that could be 30 times more efficient than traditional farms. It is assumed that there will be a fish market on the lower level. At the middle levels there will be fish farms, which were developed on the basis of research and analysis of the habitat of specific fish species. And on the upper levels are research laboratories where new technologies will be tested to achieve the productivity of 600 traditional fish farms across 20 levels.
Fish Tower
Sport Tower - Sports Tower
This project proposes a vertical complex that integrates various sports facilities in one place.
Sport Tower
RE:pH – Coastscraper
The concept behind the coastal skyscraper is to reduce the acidity of the oceans by adding fossilized coccolithophores (white chalk) to the water. The best location for the project is South East England with a huge geological strip of white chalk stretching from the outskirts of London to the White Cliffs of Dover.
RE:pH – Coastscraper
Iceberg Autonomy
The iceberg's autonomy is a "sea scraper", a drifting enclave containing oil reservoirs and separators and engaged in offshore mining.
Iceberg Autonomy
Tourist City Skyscraper
Tourism City is a group of megastructures in Cancun, Mexico that will eliminate unplanned urbanization and restore the natural landscape.
Tourist City Skyscraper
Rhizome Tower
Rhizome Tower - thousands of underground plateaus suggests the creation of an underground city. This is a response to sudden climate change and other environmental disasters. The main idea is to develop an "earthscraper" that uses underground and above-ground resources , creating a new typology of life. The project is divided into four different levels, organized around a central core. The first layer is above the surface, which will house agricultural farms, food production and recreational facilities. The entire facade is covered with a solar cell to collect solar energy, and individual sections are also equipped with wind turbines. The second layer, at about 60 levels, is the living area with a range of different living spaces to suit the size of the family. The third and fourth layers are used as service areas and offices, along with the deepest part of the project dedicated to geothermal energy exploration and collection.
Rhizome Tower
Borough no. 6
District No. 6 - New York. Situated above the existing cityscape, the building occupies the space between 22nd and 14th Streets and 6th and 7th Avenues in New York City. The size of the structure creates interdependence and allows for the formation of a new community within an already dense development. Woven into the fabric of residential buildings, large office towers provide work space for the structure's occupants. These towers are deployed to create a public park high above the city, providing public access to nature.
Borough no. 6
Singapore's Waterfront
The proposed building is located on Singapore's waterfront and will serve as an addition to the existing financial districts. Considering Singapore's climate and its scarce water resources, the design emphasis is on creating strategies to utilize natural ventilation, rainwater and sunlight. The tower is tilted 20 degrees towards the embankment. In addition, the project aims to create an ideal home with its own garden, in close proximity to the center of Singapore. The base, which resembles an area with rich vegetation, forms two outdoor swimming pools, public gardens, and sports facilities.
Singapore's Waterfront
Moonscraper
A lunar skyscraper is planned to be built on the outskirts of Shackleton Crater at the South Pole of the Moon.
Moonscraper
Floating Olympic Complex
The main idea of the Floating Olympic Complex is the creation of vertical inverted skyscrapers that will serve as hosts during the games, and will be further transformed into a floating city with residential buildings, recreation areas, offices and other infrastructure. This project is expected to be implemented at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Floating Olympic Complex
