270 Park Avenue, New York City, United States by Foster + Partners. Image credit: Max Touhey
The Council on Vertical Urbanism, formerly known as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, has unveiled the winners of its 2026 Award of Excellence. The annual award series seeks to honor “projects, concepts and initiatives that exemplify new directions in vertical urbanism across the globe.”
The 73 projects comprising this year’s winners span 20 countries and 20 categories. According to the organizers, the 2026 high-rises “reflect a growing emphasis on adaptability, interdisciplinary thinking and long-term urban value.”
“What distinguished this year’s winners was not simply technical achievement or architectural ambition, but clarity of purpose,” CVU CEO Javier Quintana de Uña shared. “These projects demonstrate a deeper understanding of what cities now require: flexibility under changing conditions, intelligent resource use, cutting-edge technology integration, meaningful public engagement, and development strategies capable of delivering lasting social and environmental value.”
The projects will now be presented at the 2026 VU Summit taking place from October 26-29 in London, where the ‘Best in Category’ awards will be announced.
In the meantime, the latest winners are set out below, with architecture teams listed for the best-in-class categories.
Midea Global Innovation Park, Shanghai, China by Atelier MA. Image credit: Midea Group
Best Tall Building, by Height, Under 100 meters
Midea Global Innovation Park, Shanghai, China by Atelier MAPunggol Digital District, Singapore by WOHA ArchitectsTrellis, South Brisbane, Australia by Rothelowman
Guangzhou One Pengrui, Guangzhou, China by Kohn Pedersen Fox. Image credit: Rex Zou
Best Tall Building, by Height, 100 to 199 meters
18T Mansion, Chongqing, China by UNStudioEZ Parque da Cidade, São Paulo, Brazil by UNStudioGuangzhou One Pengrui, Guangzhou, China by Kohn Pedersen FoxParkline Place, Sydney, Australia by Foster + PartnersShenzhen Building Craftsman Headquarters, Shenzhen, China by AedasSHIBUYA AXSH, Tokyo, Japan by Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc.Xinhu Hangzhou Prism, Hangzhou, China by Office for Metropolitan Architecture
CPIC Xintiandi Commercial Center, Shanghai, China by Kohn Pedersen Fox. Image credit: Shui On Land
Best Tall Building, by Height, 200 to 299 meters
CPIC Xintiandi Commercial Center, Shanghai, China by Kohn Pedersen FoxOne Bangkok Tower 4, Bangkok, Thailand by Kohn Pedersen FoxSany IROOTECH Headquarters, Guangzhou, China by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Wasl Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates by UNStudio. Image credit: Sarab
Best Tall Building, by Height, 300 meters and above
270 Park Avenue, New York City, United States by Foster + PartnersWasl Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates by UNStudio
Maestria, Montreal, Canada by Lemay. Image credit: David Boyer
Best Tall Building, by Region, Americas
1020 Spring Street, Atlanta, United States by Kohn Pedersen Fox270 Park Avenue, New York City, United States by Foster + PartnersEZ Parque da Cidade, São Paulo, Brazil by UNStudioMaestria, Montreal, Canada by LemaySouth Station Tower, Boston, United States by Pelli Clarke & PartnersThe Parker, Boston, United States by Stantec
Keppel South Central, Singapore by NBBJ. Image credit: Daniel Koh Photography
Best Tall Building, by Region, Asia
ByteDance Houhai Center, Shenzhen, China by AECOMCPIC Xintiandi Commercial Center, Shanghai, China by Kohn Pedersen FoxGuangzhou One Pengrui, Guangzhou, China by Kohn Pedersen FoxKeppel South Central, Singapore by NBBJPunggol Digital District, Singapore by WOHA ArchitectsSany IROOTECH Headquarters, Guangzhou, China by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Floating Gardens, Amsterdam, Netherlands by Bureau Rowin Petersma; Orange Architects. Image credit: Sebastian van Damme
Best Tall Building, by Region, Europe
Enclave: Acton, London, United Kingdom by HTA DesignFloating Gardens, Amsterdam, Netherlands, by Bureau Rowin Petersma; Orange ArchitectsThe Bridge, Warsaw, Poland by UNStudioTrilogy Limassol Seafront West Tower, Limassol, Cyprus by A. J. Pericleous LLC; Thornton Tomasetti
Infinity Tower, Ra’anana, Israel by MYS Architects. Image credit: MYS Architects
Best Tall Building, by Region, Middle East & Africa
Infinity Tower, Ra’anana, Israel by MYS ArchitectsWasl Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates by UNStudio
Parkline Place, Sydney, Australia by Foster + Partners; Cox Architecture. Image credit: Aaron Hargreaves, Foster + Partners
Best Tall Building, by Region, Oceania
Parkline Place, Sydney, Australia by Foster + Partners; Cox Architecture
Eden Dock, London, United Kingdom. Image credit: HTA Design
Urban Habitat Award
Eden Dock, London, United KingdomGloucester on Yonge, Toronto, CanadaMsheireb Downtown Doha, QatarOne Bangkok, Bangkok, ThailandPunggol Digital District, SingaporeXi’an CCBD, Xi’an, China
Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Image credit: Select Group
Future Project Award
Hanoi Finance Tower, Hanoi, VietnamLighthouse at Darling Park, Sydney, AustraliaRetal Heights, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSeventy Gracechurch Street, London, United KingdomShenton House, SingaporeSix Senses Residences Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesThe Living Bridge, Shenzhen, ChinaU-View Tower, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
VIA 57 West, New York City, United States. Image credit: Nic Lehoux
10 Year Award
Central Bank of Kuwait New Headquarters, Kuwait City, KuwaitKyobashi EDOGRAND, Tokyo, JapanOasia Hotel Downtown, SingaporeVIA 57 West, New York City, United States
270 Park Avenue, New York City, United States. Image credit: JP Morgan and Chase
Construction Award
270 Park Avenue, New York City, United StatesIOI Central Boulevard Towers, SingaporeElephant and Castle Town Centre, London, United Kingdom
33 Alfred Street, Sydney, Australia. Image credit: Brett Boardman
Repositioning Award
33 Alfred Street, Sydney, AustraliaOne Central Plaza, Dublin, IrelandSX Stage 2, Melbourne, Australia
Motioneering Opposed Pendulum Tuned Mass Damper (TMD). Image credit: Motioneering Inc
Innovation Award
A Novel Active Opening Window Module for Fire Safety in Tall BuildingsMotioneering Opposed Pendulum Tuned Mass Damper (TMD)WSP Steel Re-Use Tool
Sany IROOTECH Headquarters, Guangzhou, China. Image credit: SOM
Structure Award
10 World Trade, Boston, United States270 Park Avenue, New York City, United States8 Phillip Street, Parramatta, AustraliaOne Circular Quay, Sydney, AustraliaSany IROOTECH Headquarters, Guangzhou, China
Pacific Xintiandi Commercial Center Tower 1, Shanghai, China. Image credit: Rex Zou
Façade Award
Infinity Tower, Ra’anana, IsraelNo. 8 Castle Road, Hong Kong, ChinaOne Bloor West, Toronto, CanadaPacific Xintiandi Commercial Center Tower 1, Shanghai, ChinaParkline Place, Sydney, Australia
Webank Headquarters, Shenzhen, China. Image credit: SOM
Systems Award
270 Park Avenue, New York City, United StatesMerdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaWebank Headquarters, Shenzhen, China
Geneo, Singapore. Image credit: Finbarr Fallon
Space Within Award
270 Park Avenue, New York City, United StatesGeneo, SingaporePunggol Digital District, Singapore
Julia West House, Portland (Oregon), United States. Image credit: Christian Columbres
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award
Geneo, SingaporeJulia West House, Portland (Oregon), United StatesPunggol Digital District, SingaporeThrive Mental Health Employee Resource Group
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