DekaBank, Frankfurt and Deutsches Architekturmuseum Announce Five Finalists for 2026/27 International High-Rise Award

51N4E, Brüssel, Belgien; l’AUC, Paris, Frankreich; Jaspers-Eyers Architects, Brüssel, Belgien
ZIN, Brüssel, Belgien
Foto: 51N4E/Maxime Delvaux

(IN BRIEF) The International High-Rise Award 2026/27 has selected five finalists from an initial field of 30 nominated projects across 12 countries, bringing together high-rise developments from Belgium, Brazil, China, Australia and Singapore ahead of the winner announcement in Frankfurt on 3 November 2026. The shortlisted projects are ZIN in Brussels, AGE 360 in Curitiba, Tencent Tower in Guangzhou, 88 Walker in Sydney and One Pearl Bank in Singapore, representing approaches including adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, integrated vegetation, heritage-sensitive construction and new forms of high-density residential design. Presented by the City of Frankfurt am Main, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank, the award evaluates buildings of at least 100 metres completed within the previous two years based on criteria including design quality, functionality, technology, sustainability, urban integration and cost-effectiveness. This year’s jury placed particular emphasis on whether towers can remain relevant over time and function as good neighbours within their cities. The winning architects and developers will receive a Thomas Demand statuette and a €50,000 prize at Frankfurt’s Paulskirche.

(PRESS RELEASE) FRANKFURT, 8-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Five high-rise projects from Belgium, Brazil, China, Australia and Singapore have been selected as finalists for the International High-Rise Award (IHA) 2026/27, narrowing an initial field of 30 nominated buildings from 12 countries to a shortlist representing four continents.

The award, jointly presented by the City of Frankfurt am Main, Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) and DekaBank, recognises architects and developers of buildings at least 100 metres high that have been completed within the previous two years.

The five finalists are ZIN in Brussels, AGE 360 in Curitiba, Tencent Tower in Guangzhou, 88 Walker in Sydney and One Pearl Bank in Singapore.

The winning project will be announced on 3 November 2026 at Frankfurt’s Paulskirche by Birgit Dietl-Benzin, member of the Executive Board of DekaBank. The winning team will receive a statuette designed by internationally recognised artist Thomas Demand together with a €50,000 cash prize, presented by Frankfurt Lord Mayor Mike Josef.

Jury selects five projects from 30 international nominees

The International High-Rise Award jury assessed 30 buildings from 12 countries before selecting the five finalists.

Projects are evaluated against criteria including future-oriented design, functionality, innovative building technology, integration into urban development, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

For the 2026/27 edition, the jury placed particular emphasis on whether buildings could remain relevant over the long term despite having been conceived and planned several years before completion.

The jury also considered the wider role of high-rise architecture in cities, asking whether towers can function as good neighbours and contribute positively to their surroundings, residents and public life.

ZIN transforms former Brussels World Trade Center towers

ZIN, in Brussels, was designed by 51N4E of Brussels, l’AUC of Paris and Jaspers-Eyers Architects of Brussels.

Rather than following the conventional model of a glass-and-steel office tower, the project reuses the cores of two former World Trade Center high-rises and integrates a new structure between them.

Double-height spaces connect the buildings and support mixed uses vertically and horizontally, combining offices, homes, hotel accommodation, retail and green areas within one development.

The jury highlighted the project as an example of how older high-rise structures can be transformed rather than replaced, creating a more diverse building that remains active beyond conventional office hours.

AGE 360 combines residential architecture with integrated vegetation

AGE 360 in Curitiba, Brazil, was designed by Architects Office and Triptyque, with both practices based in São Paulo and Triptyque also operating in Paris.

The jury described the building as a strongly sculptural project rooted in vegetation and designed to integrate nature into the high-rise environment.

Its substantial façade elements provide integrated solar protection while contributing to a concept the jury characterised as a vertical village.

Jury member Martha Thorne praised the project for using architectural elements to solve multiple functional and environmental requirements simultaneously.

Tencent Tower rethinks the conventional vertically stacked skyscraper

The Tencent Tower in Guangzhou, China, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel of Paris, contains more than 100,000 square metres of floor space.

Rather than functioning as a conventional vertically stacked office tower, the building is divided across four principal decks and incorporates a broader mix of activities.

Alongside offices, the tower contains museums, cinemas and restaurants, creating what the jury described as a genuine commercial street within a vertical structure.

Jury member Shirley Surya said the project challenges conventional definitions of what a high-rise can be by introducing a more complex spatial arrangement that resembles multiple buildings distributed vertically.

88 Walker integrates a slender tower with historic Sydney pub

88 Walker in Sydney was designed by Fitzpatrick + Partners.

The project comprises two slender tower forms constructed on a highly constrained site that also includes the historic Firehouse Hotel pub.

The new building cantilevers above the older structure, allowing the heritage property to remain in place while supporting the development above.

The jury highlighted the project’s structural clarity and restrained street-level presence.

Florian Beck, a member of the jury, said the design makes its structural solution visible rather than concealing the complexity of integrating a new tower with an existing historic building.

One Pearl Bank explores community life within dense urban development

One Pearl Bank in Singapore was designed by Serie Architects of London and Multiply Architects of Singapore.

The jury noted that the residential tower draws inspiration from the form of the building that previously occupied the site while avoiding direct imitation.

Instead, the project examines how social interaction and community life can be encouraged in a highly dense urban environment.

Its design places particular emphasis on shared, social and public spaces, with the jury highlighting its contemporary response to questions of neighbourhood identity and residential density.

International jury brings together architecture, engineering and cultural expertise

The IHA 2026/27 international jury is chaired by Brian Yang, Partner at BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group in Copenhagen.

Other members include Klaas De Rycke, Partner, Managing Director and Executive Board member at BOLLINGER+GROHMANN in Paris; Elisabeth Endres of TU Braunschweig and Ingenieurbüro Hausladen; Shirley Surya, Curator of Design and Architecture at M+ in Hong Kong; Martha Thorne, architect, curator and author based in Madrid; and Florian Beck, Associate Partner and Munich site manager at blocher partners.

Representatives from the award’s partner organisations include Dr. Ina Hartwig, Deputy Mayor in Charge of Culture and Science for the City of Frankfurt; Peter Cachola Schmal, Director of Deutsches Architekturmuseum; and Johannes Hermanns, Managing Director of Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH.

Andrea Jürges, Deputy Director of Deutsches Architekturmuseum, serves as deputy jury member.

Award focuses on future role of high-rise buildings

A central question for this year’s jury was how skyscrapers should contribute to cities in the future.

Beyond appearance and function, the panel focused on whether a high-rise enhances its surrounding district, supports public and social life and contributes meaningfully to the city as a whole.

The five finalists reflect different approaches to that challenge, ranging from adaptive reuse and mixed-use transformation to integrated vegetation, heritage-sensitive construction and new models for dense residential communities.

International High-Rise Award enters its 12th edition

The International High-Rise Award was established in 2004 by the City of Frankfurt, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank and will be presented for the 12th time in 2026.

Previous winners include CapitaSpring in Singapore in 2024, designed by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group and CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati; Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney in 2022, designed by 3XN; and Norra Tornen in Stockholm in 2020, designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture.

Other past recipients include Torre Reforma in Mexico City, VIA 57 West in New York, Bosco Verticale in Milan, 1 Bligh Street in Sydney, The Met in Bangkok, Hearst Headquarters in New York, Torre Agbar in Barcelona and De Hoftoren in The Hague.

The winner of the 2026/27 edition will be announced in Frankfurt on 3 November 2026.

Press contact:

Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM)
Schaumainkai 43, 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Brita Köhler
T +49 (0)69 212 36318
M +49 (0)151-50921704
brita.koehler@stadt-frankfurt.de
 
 
DekaBank
Große Gallusstraße 14, 60315 Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Dr. Daniela Gniss
T +49 (0)69 7147-2188
daniela.gniss@deka.de

 
City of Frankfurt/Main / Culture and Science Department
Brückenstraße 3-7, 60594 Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Hanna Immich
T +49 (0)69 212-49232
M +49 (0)171-1769719
hanna.immich@stadt-frankfurt.de

About Deka

DekaBank is the securities services provider of the German Savings Banks Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe). Together with its subsidiaries it forms Deka Group. With total customer assets of more than EUR 485 billion (as at 30/06/2026) and 6.2 million securities accounts, DekaBank is one of the largest securities services providers and real estate asset managers in Germany. It provides private and institutional investors with access to a wide range of investment products and services. DekaBank is firmly anchored in the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe (Savings Banks Finance Group) and tailors its product portfolio to the requirements of its owners and sales partners in the securities business.

SOURCE: Deka Immobilien