French studio ateliers Jean Nouvel’s The White Walls, in Nicosia, Cyprus — created to function as office buildings, shops and apartments for Nice Day Developments — was selected as the best among 132 buildings due to its special characteristics that include perforated walls and wide balconies that are both bestrewn with plants. Completed last year next to Eleftheria Square, the 67-meter-high Tower 25 is one of the tallest structures in the Cypriot capital. It includes a mix of apartments, offices and shops.
The award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH) selected the building thanks to its exquisite architecture and special features that include a series of balconies, bursting with plants, that span the width of the building on the south-facing façade that receives the most sunlight. The eastern and western sides of the building have square openings that are filled with even more plants.
During the summer months, the building reaches the height of its vegetation and is protected by the plants from the intense heat of the day. During winter, foliage sheds and the sun reaches more of the interior.
The award for the tallest building in Asia was given to Shanghai Tower in China, the best in America was VIA VIA 57 WEST and the Cube in Beirut for the Middle East.
Now, the four buildings will vie for the Best in the World during a ceremony on November 3, 2016, to take place at the 15th annual conference at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.
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