The results of the 2011 Emporis Skyscraper Award are now in: 8 Spruce Street in New York City is the winner of the renowned architecture prize for new skyscrapers. The winners were chosen from over 220 skyscrapers completed in 2011.
8 Spruce Street, the first skyscraper by the architect Frank Gehry, and also known as The Beekman or New York by Gehry, won over the jury with its magnificent undulating stainless steel facade. Commenting on the choice, the jury said: "8 Spruce Street stands out even in Manhattan's already remarkable skyline. It is a major new architectural landmark for New York."
The sculptured form of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's Al Hamra Tower earned it second place in the ranking. Despite its great height, the skyscraper fits harmoniously into Kuwait City's urban landscape. DBI Design's Etihad Towers were voted into third place, the jury praising the complex as a particularly harmonious ensemble of buildings.
Emporis Skyscraper Award 2011
New York City's 8 Spruce Street recipient of Emporis Skyscraper Award
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Winning Design
8 Spruce Street, the winner of the Emporis Skyscraper Award 2011, won over the jury with its facade. The building's cladding is composed of 10,500 stainless steel panels, some flat, some undulating. The five stories at the foot of the tower have a brick facade since the architect wanted the base to be in the spirit of the neighboring buildings.
The building, designed by architect Frank Gehry, is 265 meters tall, has 76 floors and was completed in 2011 after a construction period of five years. The skyscraper is used as a residential building, but it also includes a school as well as doctors’ offices and shops.