Staggered Skyscraper In Tirana Is Made Up Of 13 Cube Volumes Making It A “Unique Vertical Village”

Designed by Portuguese studio OODA, this stunning and impressive skyscraper is made up of 13 staggered cube volumes and is intended to be the design for the Hora Vertikale residential development in Tirana. It is supposed to be unveiled in spring 2024 and is designed to be a 140-meter-tall building that will house apartments placed over a park amped with multiple public amenities.

Designer: OODA

Nestled in the Albanian capital Tirana, OODA designed the Hora Vertikale to engage with the local community and describes the towering structure as “a unique vertical village set amidst a large green city”. 13 cubes have been designed and created in seven variations, and each cube measures 22.5 meters by 22.4 meters and is seven stories tall, which is typically the height of buildings in Tirana.

The foundation or base of the building comprises three rows of three cubes, with a couple of them set apart and rotated a bit to create a narrow gap. Two side-by-side cubes sit on the top, followed by two singular ones that in turn form an expansive building that is six cubes tall. The cube at the top will be equipped with angular balconies that are supported by columns punctuating the perimeter. “Each cube embodies a unique concept related to art and is also inspired by the local vernacular,” said OODA.

What makes the building even more impressive, is that it will be made from locally sourced materials from Albanian, which will reduce its carbon footprint, and also provide support to local businesses.

“The result is a building that leaves a lasting impact on both city visitors and those who live there,” said the studio. “From a distance, the building presents distinct elevations and perceptions from different views around the city. Up close, the concept’s playful interplay reveals its secrets, and the compositions step back from the main road towards the park at the rear, creating the most adequate transition in terms of scale.”

This stunning building is set to be the latest high-profile skyscraper to be constructed in Tirana with a rather unique design that instantly grabs eyeballs.

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Architects designed this curved skyscraper to ensure the nearby buildings get enough sunlight too

High-rises are great for views… unless you’re in the neighboring building whose sunset is now blocked by a concrete monstrosity. Designed to overcome that state of affairs, this uniquely shaped skyscraper from MAD Architects hopes to give neighboring buildings ample access to natural light and views of the sky. Located in Quito, Ecuador, the skyscraper (named Qondesa) will be the city’s tallest building, with a height of 130m (425ft.). Its rather eye-catching shape is designed to be an improvement over the rigid, vertical skyscrapers seen in most cities. The curved profile on the sides ensures that the building doesn’t always block the light for residents living behind it. As the sun rises or sets, it peeks through the building’s curves at certain intervals in the day, allowing neighbors to get ample access to natural light throughout the day and even the year.

Designer: MAD Architects

At first glance, the most striking element of the Qondesa Skyscraper is its fluid, curving façade resembling a waveform frozen mid-motion. The softened edges of the building contrast sharply with the angular urban environment around it. The design of the building emulates vines that twist together as they climb upwards. Each balcony on the Qondesa is also supplemented with lush greenery, giving the skyscraper a pleasing contrast to the concrete appearance seen in most skyscrapers. Aside from its undulating silhouette, the use of locally sourced materials contributes to the sense of unity with nature. Stone cladding blends seamlessly into native hardwoods, evoking the rugged terrain surrounding Quito. On one hand, these elements add texture and depth to the otherwise sleek lines of the tower; on the other, they serve as a reminder of Ecuador’s lush ecosystems.

The architectural design of the Qondesa serves another rather altruistic purpose too. Designed to be a pretty imposing building in Quito’s neighborhood, the skyscraper also ensures that buildings around it aren’t affected too much by its presence. The curved format ensures neighboring buildings get ample access to natural light and good views during the day. Sure, the skyscraper does end up obstructing some views, but its curved shape minimizes its overall impact, so that everyone benefits from the city’s brilliant hilly, open skyline.

“Growing from the earth to the sky, Qondesa’s exterior facade emulates twisting vines weaving around the building to taper at its top, and sprout greenery which form planters throughout the building’s balconies,” explained the team at MAD Architects. “In addition, the exterior shape of Qondesa is designed so as not to block natural light and views from the surrounding buildings.”

The building comprises urban apartments that are designed to provide a comfortable and intimate living experience. It is conveniently located near the Iñaquito Metro station, providing easy access to Quito’s main destinations. Additionally, it is situated across from La Carolina Park, a 67-hectare green space that offers a perfect blend of leisure, business, and living. The architects have created multiple amenities and communal areas too, promoting a sense of community among the residents.

MAD’s upcoming project, Qondesa, is set to be their first venture in South America. The project will be situated in Quito, Ecuador’s second-largest city with a population upward of 2.8 million. Notable towers from other famed architects like BIG’s Iqon and Carlos Zapata Studio’s Unique are also making their mark on the city’s skyline.

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The Deloitte Summit skyscraper in Vancouver was inspired by Japanese lanterns

Based in Tokyo, Japan, Studio OSO recently completed the Deloitte Summit in Vancouver. The impressive skyscraper is inspired by Japanese lanterns, with the stacked boxes that make up its body resembling the lanterns. The stacked boxes are placed on top of each other, resulting in the 24-story skyscraper which looks like a majestic sculpture!

Designer: Studio OSO

The original plan for Deloitte Summit was created by another architect and was extremely conventional. Studio OSO decided to retain some of the original elements, but otherwise decided to give the entire plan a twist! The cube-like boxes which dominate the building are almost four stories tall and are positioned asymmetrically across the length of the skyscraper. A series of cantilevers have also been added to the setup, giving the entire structure a rather jagged and eccentric aesthetic.

“A brief study led to a completely different approach to the glass box: rather than a single extrusion, we found that multiple, smaller extrusions could achieve the same density,” said OSO. “The smaller extrusions became weightless glass cubes that were haphazardly placed on top of each other.”

The stacked boxes have all been placed in different directions, providing different views from all the offices located inside. This also creates an intriguing ‘multi-dimensional effect’ and allows the facade to have an ‘ever-changing silhouette’ that changes depending on where it’s seen from.

“The tenant does not expect to find glass floors overlooking the city, roof terraces under overhanging volumes, and vertical gardens framing views of the mountains. All this is accomplished by rearranging – rather than abandoning – the conventional glass box,” said studio OSO.

The stacked and jagged form of the building provides ‘a sense of randomness’, which was created by maintaining extremely simple floor plans, as well as a glazed paneling that brings the entire design together. Floor-to-ceiling windows span the entire facade and allow it to be illuminated at night, while the other large windows allow a generous amount of sunlight to stream in throughout the day.

The architectural studio derived inspiration from the functionality and aesthetic of Japanese lanterns, in an effort to impart a sculptural quality to the skyscraper. It’s fascinating to see how a simple Japanese lighting design completely transformed what would have been an otherwise traditional glass tower. In fact, every evening, the skyscraper will put on a performance! A little before 9 pm, the building lights will be dimmed, and the blinds will be lowered. At sharp 9 pm, the building will slowly light up, giving out a lantern-like effect!

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The “most twisted tower in the world” by Aedas is inspired by the Northern Lights

Aedas unveiled the Dance of Lights office tower in Chongqing, China. Situated in Xingfu Plaza in the Jiangbei District of Chongqing, the mesmerizing structure features two double-curved facades, which draw influence from the Northern Lights. The curved facades give the impression that the building is in fact twisted! It’s considered to be the “most twisted tower in the world”

Designer: Aedas

“The concept of the Dance of Light was proposed to celebrate the achievement to embrace technology by the city of Chongqing,” said Aedas.

Standing tall at 180 meters, the 39-story skyscraper is marked by gentle curves and gridded panels. It was designed to be a ‘landmark building’ in the busy business district where each of the structures is inspired by stars and celestial bodies. And we love how wonderfully Dance of Lights drew inspiration from the Aurora Borealis! Aedas wanted to make the skyscraper as natural, dynamic, and elegant as the lights. And indeed, the refraction of the tower’s reflective glass further captures the essence of light and celebrates it.

The building’s facade was clad in double-curved cold form glass, which lends a very smooth exterior to the structure. The building twists at an angle of almost 8.8 degrees per floor, which is more than 1.5 times of any other skyscraper in the world, hence rightfully making it the “most twisted skyscraper” in the world! They cited a 2016 issue of the CTBUH journal to further claim this. The smooth surface is marked by vertical lines of the gridded panels or mullions which are curved and silver in color (owing to a bright silver PVF2 finish). This ensures that light reflects off the building, giving it different looks and appearances throughout the day from different angles.

“To pursue the concept of the Dance of Light, the design team set their goal to utilize light to define architecture,” said Aedas.”This is a huge challenge and through the creation of two distinctive twists, a curvaceous form is generated that allows natural light to follow the contour of the building to give character and a special signature. By integrating two opposing twists at each end of the building it will present an ever-changing facade to the urban context,” they continued.

34 floors of the building will function as offices, whereas the top five storeys will be utilized as meeting rooms and facilities, or as a “district reception space for guests”.  A block holding restaurants and cafes have been placed at a lower level, next to the building, with a twist on the roof, as an ode to the skyscraper.

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The world’s skinniest skyscraper is at 111 West 57th Street

I am afraid of heights. Not deathly afraid but enough to not go and see some of the world-famous tourist attractions like the Empire State Building or the Burj Khalifa. Well, if ever I get to visit New York or Dubai. But I do get the appeal of why people would want to get to the top of these buildings and skyscrapers and mountains as getting a view of the entire city or the place where the high place is overlooking.

Designer: SHoP Architects

If you’re a fan of tall skyscrapers, New York City is one of the places to be. Just last week, a new landmark building has been officially opened and is now ready for people who can afford to move into it. The 111 West 57th Street is not just the second tallest in the Western Hemisphere (1,428 feet), it is also the world’s “skinniest” building with its 24:1 height-to-width ratio. So for people like me who are scared of heights, this being the skinniest will not help in allaying that fear.

But of course, this tower, which is a residential skyscraper, is built with the “highest strength concrete” according to the designers, SHoP Architects. Just by looking at images of the building, you know that it’s a pretty expensive structure as the top tapers to a flat edge and it is highlighted by terracotta tiles with bronze accents on its facade facing the east and west directions. For the parts that are facing Central Park (north) and Lower Manhattan (south), you get glass curtain walls so you get a better view of the city’s skyline.

This building was actually announced back in 2013 but construction halted by 2017 due to financial difficulties from the developer. But now they’re ready for residents to move in. Since it’s a tall and narrow skyscraper, each floor will only have one residence for each floor. The adjacent landmarked Steinway building is also part of it so if you add the 14 there, there will only be a total of 60 residences for the entire 111 West 57th Street building.

It is aptly located in what is now considered Billionaire’s Row in Midtown Manhattan since probably only billionaires can afford to live in such a building. Even if I had a billion dollars, I probably would not actually live in the world’s second tallest skyscraper. But it would still be interesting to visit and see what the interiors actually look like since I really can’t imagine what it would be like to live there.

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This dominos-inspired skyscraper could become Africa’s second-tallest tower at 70-stories high!

If brought to fruition, the Zanzibar Domino Commerical Tower will become Africa’s second-tallest building and a landmark tourist destination to help stimulate the country’s economy and tourism industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen some crushing setbacks on the tourism industry, in particular for countries that rely on it for their economic output. In response, architects have churned out some of their most daring and inspired plans, from apartment skyscrapers to floating museums, all with the hope of luring in tourists from across the world. Architecture and interiors firm xCassia unveiled its plans for Zanzibar Domino Commerical Tower, a dominos-inspired skyscraper slated for Zanzibar, an autonomous archipelago off the coast of East Africa, to become the second tallest building at 70-stories high in Africa and help stimulate Zanzibar’s local tourism industry.

If the building’s plans ever come to fruition, the multipurpose skyscraper will cover a sweeping 370,000 square meters and be composed of 360 scalloped slates with an observation deck at its highest point. One day, the tower is designed to function as a landmark tourist destination. xCassia initially developed the dominos-inspired tower for different sites in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, but a recent contract was signed by Tanzanian AICL Group and Edinburgh Crowland Management for xCassia to begin progress on the skyscraper in Zanzibar.

The tower itself will be host to a 560-unit resident complex and five to six-star hotel and spa facilities. Covering 20-hectares on a 4km-long plot of land, the larger site will give rise to the largest resort in East and Central Africa, and will see a golf course, wedding chapel, and marina for yachts and cruise ships on the island’s private islet.

Jean-Paul Cassia, founder and design director of xCassia, described the tower’s initial inspiration, “First sketched in Paris in 2009, after my late father, two sons, and I played a round of dominos–I dreamed of building this project for over a decade. Between its innate mathematical order and geometries found in nature, its pure lines and proportions that evoke growth, progress, and freedom, it had all the bearings of an icon anyone could remember and draw on a paper napkin. All it lacked was the right visionary investor and site to make it come true.”

During the signing ceremony between AICL Group, Edinburgh Crowland Management, and xCassia, CEO of Crowland Management Ltd Dr. Emmanuel Umoh mentioned, “The building which will be called Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower is expected to be one of the international iconic features, facilitating tourism, culture, and business opportunities.”

Designer: xCassia

This skyscraper dissolves to distribute soil and seeds which will help revive burned forests!

Wildfires are becoming a common occurrence, some places like California and Australia even have wildfire seasons which are now becoming longer and more aggressive. According to this official research paper, data shows that since 2000, an annual average of 70,600 wildfires burned an annual average of 7 million acres in the USA alone in 2020 while Australia has seen 46 million acres destroyed since September 2019. The need for sustainable design has never been more urgent and in all verticals of the industry, not just packaging or product. Keeping this in mind, architect Alberto Roncelli created Regenera – a skyscraper that aims to heal ecosystems that have been burned down by wildfires.

The skyscraper will be located in the center of a burnt ecosystem and as it degenerates it will spread nutrients and seeds through winds while also becoming a temporary shelter for birds and small-sized animals. Think of Regenera as a supporting pillar to the recovering ecosystem. Through the erosion of its own structure, Regenera will transform and spread itself into the ecosystem in a purposeful manner. During the initials phases, a laboratory on the lower level is dedicated to experimenting, monitoring, and researching the process and the progress of the ecosystem. In the following phases, scientists will abandon the skyscraper and make more space for the undisturbed re-population of small to medium-sized animals and plants.

Regenera proposes a new paradigm that creates the possibility to carefully program and diversify each part of the structure, defining a life cycle determined by erosion and constant transformation…which is exactly what the cycle of life is all about. Materials chosen to build the structure include mixing substances needed by the forest with the architectural capability to be a temporary shelter while slowly dissolving. This design can be a success with a team of chemists, phyrogeographers, meteorologists, engineers, and biologists, all working together to understand the necessities and needs of a dead ecosystem. Regenera wants to be a manifesto for a new way of relating architecture and nature, structure and ecosystem, time and erosion, skyscrapers and forests.

Desinger: Alberto Roncelli

Green skyscrapers that add a touch of nature + sustainability to modern architecture!

Skyscrapers have taken over most of the major cities today. They’re symbols of wealth and power! And most of the skylines today are adorned with glistening glass skyscrapers. They are considered the face of modern architecture. Although all that glass and dazzle can become a little tiring to watch. Hence, architects are incorporating these tall towers with a touch of nature and greenery! The result is impressive skyscrapers merged with an element of sustainability. These green spaces help us maintain a modern lifestyle while staying connected to nature. We definitely need more of these green skyscraper designs in our urban cities!

Zaha Hadid Architects designed a pair of impressive skyscrapers that are linked by planted terraces, for Shenzhen, China. Named Tower C, the structure is 400 metres in height and is supposed to be one of the tallest buildings in the city. The terraces are filled with greenery and aquaponic gardens! They were built to be an extension of a park that is located alongside the tower and as a green public space.

Polish designers Pawel Lipiński and Mateusz Frankowsk created The Mashambas Skyscraper, a vertical farm tower, that is in fact modular! The tower can be assembled, disassembled and transported to different locations in Africa. It was conceptualised in an attempt to help and encourage new agricultural communities across Africa. The skyscraper would be moved to locations that have poor soil quality or suffer from droughts, so as to increase crop yield and produce.

The Living Skyscraper was chosen among 492 submissions that were received for the annual eVolo competition that has been running since 2006. One of the main goals of the project is to grow a living skyscraper on the principle of sustainable architecture. The ambitious architectural project has been envisioned for Manhattan and proposes using genetically modified trees to shape them into literal living skyscrapers. It is designed to serve as a lookout tower for New York City with its own flora and fauna while encouraging ecological communications between office buildings and green recreation centers. The building will function as a green habitable space in the middle of the concrete metropolis.

ODA’s explorations primarily focus on tower designs, in an attempt to bring versatility and a touch of greenery to NY’s overtly boxy and shiny cityscape. Architectural explorations look at residential units with dedicated ‘greenery zones’ that act as areas of the social congregation for the building’s residents. Adorned with curvilinear, organic architecture, and interspersed with greenery, these areas give the residents a break from the concrete-jungle aesthetic of the skyscraper-filled city. They act as areas of reflection and of allowing people to connect with nature and with one another.

Heatherwick Studio built a 20-storey residential skyscraper in Singapore called EDEN. Defined as “a counterpoint to ubiquitous glass and steel towers”, EDEN consists of a vertical stack of homes, each amped with a lush garden. The aim was to create open and flowing living spaces that are connected with nature and high on greenery.

Designed by UNStudio and COX Architecture, this skyscraper in Melbourne, Australia features a pair of twisting towers placed around a ‘green spine’ of terraces, platforms, and verandahs. Called Southbank by Beulah, the main feature of the structure is its green spine, which functions as the key organizational element of the building.

Mad Arkitekter created WoHo, a wooden residential skyscraper in Berlin. The 98-meter skyscraper will feature 29 floors with different spaces such as apartment rentals, student housing, a kindergarten, bakery, workshop, and more. Planters and balconies and terraces filled with greenery make this skyscraper a very green one indeed!

Algae as energy resources are in their beginnings and are seen as high potential. Extensive research work has dealt with algae as an energy source in recent decades. As a biofuel, they are up to 6 times more efficient than e.g. comparable fuels from corn or rapeseed. The Tubular Bioreactor Algae Skyscraper focuses on the production of microalgae and their distribution using existing pipelines. Designed by Johannes Schlusche, Paul Böhm, Raffael Grimm, the towers are positioned along the transalpine pipeline in a barren mountain landscape. Water is supplied from the surrounding mountain streams and springs, and can also be obtained from the Mediterranean using saltwater.

Tesseract by Bryant Lau Liang Cheng proposes an architecture system that allows residents to participate in not just the design of their own units; but the programs and facilities within the building itself. This process is inserted between the time of purchase for the unit and the total time required to complete construction – a period that is often ignored and neglected. Through this process, residents are allowed to choose their amenities and their communities, enhancing their sense of belonging in the process. Housing units will no longer be stacked in repetition with no relation whatsoever to the residents living in it – a sentimental bond between housing and men results.

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In a world devoid of greenery, Designers Nathakit Sae-Tan & Prapatsorn Sukkaset have envisioned the concept of Babel Towers, mega skyscrapers devoted to preserving horticultural stability within a single building. The Babel towers would play an instrumental role in the propagation of greenery in and around the area. These towers would also become attraction centers for us humans, like going to a zoo, but a zoo of plants. Seems a little sad, saying this, but I do hope that we never reach a day where the Babel Tower becomes a necessity. I however do feel that having towers like these now, in our cities, would be a beautiful idea. Don’t you think so too?

This skyscraper concept uses genetically modified trees to grow into a living architectural structure

The Living Skyscraper was chosen among 492 submissions that were received for the annual eVolo competition that has been running since 2006. One of the main goals of the project is to grow a living skyscraper on the principle of sustainable architecture. The ambitious architectural project has been envisioned for Manhattan and proposes using genetically modified trees to shape them into literal living skyscrapers.

The building will function as a green habitable space in the middle of the concrete metropolis. By analyzing the active process of urbanization and a decrease in the percentage of green spaces, the Living Skyscraper is looking to solve a number of environmental and urban issues. “We believe that by integrating genetically modified trees during the stage of their growth and development into architecture, we can restore the balance between the digitalized megacities and the Earth’s resources, which are gradually depleted,” says the Ukraine-based design team.

Think of it as a skyscraper tree, it is a separate living organism with its own root system, irrigation, maintenance mechanisms, and features focused on how it can be adapted in the traditional architecture-heavy city. The structure is formed with unique fast-growing and tall hardwood deciduous trees that are planted in groups in specially prepared soil. As these trees grow they also form a one-of-a-kind shape for the skyscraper while providing architectural volume.

The plant absorbs water and nutrients, which are distributed from root to tip. At the same time, the growth of the trunk circumference will gradually increase the strength of the wood structure and improve its self-supporting properties.

During development, the branches of nearby trees will be grafted at different levels and form a network structure – a kind of conjugation that will strengthen the structure and continue its growth. The branches of hybrid “trees of the future” will form the structure of a living skyscraper, form even, separate biomorphic structures, and feed on soil, water, and sun resources, forming an ecosystem that is essential for large agglomerations. As it grows, a living skyscraper can connect with nearby buildings and form green overhanging communications over a block. The functional purpose of skyscrapers can vary depending on the need. Our skyscraper in the center of New York City will serve as a lookout tower with its own flora and fauna, as well as ecological communication between office buildings with a green recreation center.

Living Skyscraper won first place in eVolo’s 2021 Skyscraper Competition.

Designers: Andrii Lesiuk, Mykhaylo Kohut, Sofiia Shkoliar, Kateryna Ivashchuk, Nazarii Duda, Mariia Shkolnyk, Oksana-Daryna Kytsiuk, and Andrii Honcharenko

‘The Division 2’ players can soon fight their way up a 100-floor building

The Division 2 is about to get a mode that’ll task players with battling their way up a 100-floor skyscraper. You can take on Summit alone or with up to three others. As you might expect, the aim is to reach the top floor.Developer Massive Entertainm...