FRANKFURT.- New York’s Hearst Headquarters Tower designed by Foster + Partners has won the International Highrise Award 2008, which is worth EUR 50,000. The award was bestowed on Lord Norman Foster during a festive ceremony in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche. The 182m high edifice (Project designer: Foster + Partners, London; Architect of Record (Shell + core): Adamson Associates, Toronto; Fit out: Gensler, New York) creates a new emphatic highlight in the midst of New York’s skyline. Resting on a plinth that is a historical building, the transparent highrise stands out for its very expressive shape. The jury, chaired by London-based architect Alejandro Zaera-Polo, was of the opinion that “its load-bearing triangular steel structure creates storeys of different sizes and could be a model for new prototypes. Together with its sustainable structure it is setting a new standard for office buildings in the metropolis of skyscrapers.” The highrise, which was commissioned in 2006, was developed by the Hearst Corporation, New York. The media corporation uses the new headquarters at its old established location as its editorial center. Gilbert C. Maurer, a member of the Board of Directors, took receipt of the prize on behalf of the Hearst Corporation.

In addition to this year’s winner, the jury specially commended four other finalists, and also bestowed an special sustainability award. Commendations went to the 116-meter-high Missing Matrix Building (Seoul) designed by Mass Studies, the 121-meter-high residential tower Newton Suites by WOHA and two other media highrises, the 319-meter-high New York Times Building (New York) by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the 159-meter-high Television Cultural Centre (Beijing) created by OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture. For the first time, the jury bestowed an award in special recognition of urban, energy and social sustainability. It went to the WestendDuo (Frankfurt/Main) designed by Frankfurt-based architects KSP Engel und Zimmermann.

The International Highrise Award 2008 exhibition, which will run at Deutsches Architekturmuseum from 16 November 2008 through 4 January 2009 showcases the broad spectrum of prize-winning and nominated projects.

Overview of the projects on show

Adia Headquarters, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (International) PA, London
Air Apartments, Broadbeach/Queensland, Australia
Ian Moore Architects, Sydney
Bahrain World Trade Center, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Atkins, Dubai
Beetham Hilton Tower, Manchester, Great Britain
Ian Simpson Architects, Manchester
Chaowei Men, Beijing, China
Steidle + Partner, Munich and Strategy Architectural Design Co. Ltd., Beijing
Eureka Tower, Melbourne, Australia
Fender Katsalidis, Melbourne
Hearst Headquarters Tower, New York City, USA (IHA Winner 2008) Foster + Partners, London
Hesperia Hotel and Conference Center, L’Hospitalet/Barcelona, Spain
Richard Rogers Partnership, London
Holloway Circus, Birmingham, Great Britain
Ian Simpson Architects, London
Meriton Tower, Sydney, Australia
Harry Seidler & Associates, Sydney
Missing Matrix Building, Seoul, Korea (IHA Jury Commendation)
Mass Studies, Seoul
New York Times Building, New York City, USA (IHA Jury Commendation)
Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Paris and FxFowle Architects, P.C., New York
Newton Suites, Singapore (IHA Jury Commendation)
WOHA, Singapore
PopMoma, Beijing, China
Baumschlager-Eberle, Beijing
Regent Place, Sydney, Australia
Foster + Partners, London
Torre Espacio, Madrid, Spain
Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP, New Yor
Torre SyV, Madrid, Spain
R&AS Rubio & Álvarez-Sala, Madri
Television Cultural Center (TVCC), Beijing, China (IHA Jury Commendation)
OMA – Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Rotterdam/Beijing
Vertical Courtyard Apartment, Hangzhou, China
Amateur Architecture Studio, Hangzhou
Wanda Plaza, Beijing, China
gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner, Berlin/Beijing
WestendDuo, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
(Special Commendation for Sustainability)
KSP Engel und Zimmermann Architekten, Frankfurt/Main
The Willis Building, London, Great Britain
Foster + Partners, London
7 World Trade Center, New York, USA
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, New York