Linked Hybrid towers viewed from within central plaza.
Photo © Shu He
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has named Linked
Hybrid by Steven Holl Architects as the “Best Tall Building Overall” for 2009.
With its rich pallet, appropriate scale and consistency in architectural
language, Linked Hybrid adds a level of high quality architecture to the city of
Beijing. Working well above the plane of purely sculptural architecture, the
project embodies, on an urbanistic scale, where the future of tall buildings and
urban cities is heading, creating architecture that does not isolate, but rather
connects both on the ground plane and in the sky. This creates both a unique
ground level plane that acts as an oasis in the density of Beijing, and a real
multi-use zone of connected urbanism in the sky.
The project incorporates numerous sustainable design features, but really
goes far beyond its geo-thermal and water recycling, to tackle the much broader
issue of social-urban sustainability itself. Its mix of residential and retail,
cinemas and kindergartens, hotels and art galleries, swimming pools and parks—all
within a single complex—is remarkable. The vision to weave these facilities into
the complex not only at the ground plane but throughout the section of the
building, is fantastic. As described by CTBUH Executive Director and 2009 Jury
panel member, Antony Wood, “It is only in the intensification of our cities and
the inclusion of mixed urban-public facilities in the sky that the true vibrant,
dense cities of the future can be realized. The Linked Hybrid building, perhaps
more than any other built project, really does point the way to that future.”
Awards Chairman Gordon Gill presents the Best Tall Building Overall Award to
members of the Linked Hybrid team: Steven Holl, Li Hu and Congzhen Xiao.
Photo © CTBUH
Accepting the award on behalf of the Linked Hybrid project team was design
architect Steven Holl. Joining Mr. Holl on stage was Li Hu, project manager in
Beijing from Steven Holl Architects, Congzhen Xiao, from structural engineer on
the project, China Academy of Building Research, and Stefan Holst, from
environmental consultants, Transsolar ClimageEngineering.
The Council issues Best Tall Building Awards annually to give recognition to
projects that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall
buildings and the urban environment, and that achieve sustainability at the
highest and broadest level. It issues four regional awards each year (Americas,
Asia & Australasia, Europe and Middle East & Africa). In addition, from the four
regional awards, one project is awarded the honor of Best Tall Building Overall.
The Council announced its four 2009 regional winners earlier this year:
Manitoba Hydro Place for Americas, Linked Hybrid for Asia & Australasia, The
Broadgate Tower for Europe, and Tornado Tower for Middle East & Africa. Linked
Hybrid was chosen from these four regional winners and announced as the Best
Tall Building Overall for 2009.
Steven Holl describes the design of Linked Hybrid at the 8th Annual
CTBUH Awards Dinner in Chicago on October 21, 2009.
Photo © CTBUH
The Award was bestowed at the 8th Annual Awards Dinner and Ceremony held
October 22nd at the Illinois Institute of Technology campus in Chicago, USA.
Following brief presentations by each of the regional winners, the CTBUH Awards
Committee Chairman, Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture,
announced the overall winner to be Linked Hybrid, describing the project as, “rich
in thought, both programmatically and architecturally, presenting an advanced
typology for dense urban living.”
About the CTBUH
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, based at the Illinois Institute
of Technology in Chicago, is an international organization sponsored by
architecture, engineering, planning, and construction professionals, designed to
facilitate exchanges among those involved in all aspects of the planning,
design, construction and operation of tall buildings.
The CTBUH is the world’s leading body in the field of tall buildings, and the
recognized source of information on tall buildings internationally. It is the
arbiter of tall building height, determiner of the title of ‘The World’s Tallest
Building’ and maintains a significant database of built, under construction and
proposed tall building.
Further Information:
eMail: info@ctbuh.org
web: www.ctbuh.org
