Unveils The Winner of International High-Rise Award (IHA) 24/25

The collaboration between architecture firm BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group and Carlo Ratti Associati on the CapitaSpring mixed-use tower located in Singapore has won the International High-Rise Award (IHA) 2024/2025 which is currently entering its 11th year. CapitaSpring, which officially opened in 2022 with a height of 280 meters, is a high-rise building that stands out for its strategy in integrating open and green spaces throughout the building among 31 other projects considered in the competition. The jury engaged in extensive discussions on the future of high-rise buildings amid pressing global challenges including urbanization and the needs of society in the post-pandemic era.

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)

Kim Herforth Nielsen, as chairman of the jury highlighted the shift in skyscraper design that emphasized the priority to continue to develop in urban architecture and considered that this development is used as a new direction for high-rise buildings that emphasizes the importance of "greening, " "densification," and maximizing structures to balance comfortable urban spaces. CapitaSpring exemplifies these aims and ideals, BIG and CRA focus on criteria such as social value, sustainability, innovation in addressing local issues and enduring design for the future. Today's modern high-rise buildings are competing to innovate by combining responsive facades with passive design elements. Such structures are reshaping the urban landscape by elevating public spaces or moving them from the traditional ground level to rooftops or podiums between buildings.

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)

This building offers functions as a workspace, a place to live, and a place to play all in one vertically connected environment. Among Premium Class A office floors and modern serviced residences at a height of more than 35 meters is Green Oasis. Designed to facilitate social and activity spaces spread across four floors with lush trees and greenery, the existence of Green Oasis offers an experience of reconnecting with nature in downtown. Visually showcasing iconic facades and leveraging today’s workplace and lifestyle innovations, this new integrated development has redefined Singapore’s skyline in support of the government’s drive towards a car-free society and to promote healthy lifestyles.

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)

CapitaSpring itself is currently widely praised as "the best high-rise building in the world" for its success and achievement in bridging the interests of the city and private development. This building replaces a previously abandoned site, now equipped with public spaces such as hawker centers and green zones that are easily accessible to everyone. This approach reflects the success of the collaboration between the city planning framework and the developer's vision. The award was presented at an official ceremony held at the Paulskirche, Frankfurt, which was attended by Brian Yang from BIG and Gregory Chua who represented CapitaLand as the developer of the tower.

According to Bjarke Ingels, in CapitaSpring began to explore high-rise as a form of vertical extension of Singapore's typical tropical urbanism. The separation of the vertical lines of the facade, the tower is open to access and views between the inside and outside, transforming the traditional lines of the classic curtain wall into something more interesting, inviting and accessible. Basically, it is a simple movement in reimagining the social role of skyscrapers.

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)

CapitaSpring by BIG + Carlo Ratti Associati (cr: Finbarr Fallon)