The CTBUH issues seven Tall Building Awards annually – five recognizing excellence in design and construction in the geographical regions highlighted below, and two lifetime achievement awards – the Lynn S. Beedle award and the Fazlur R. Khan Medal.


Best Tall Building Awards – (click below to view past winners)

1. Best Tall Building Award – Americas
2. Best Tall Building Award – Asia & Australasia
3. Best Tall Building Award – Europe
4. Best Tall Building Award – Middle East & Africa
5. Best Tall Building Award – Worldwide

These awards recognize projects that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment, and that achieve sustainability at the highest and broadest level. The projects must also exhibit processes and/or innovations that have added to the profession of design and enhance the cities and the lives of their inhabitants. Criteria for submission include:

1)  The project must be completed (topped out architecturally, fully clad, and at least partially occupied) no earlier than the 1st of January of the previous year, and no later than the 1st of October of the current awards year. (e.g., for the 2011 Awards, a project must have a completion date between 01 January 2010 and 01 October 2011.)

2)  The project advances seamless integration of architectural form, structure, building systems, sustainable design strategies, and life safety for its occupants.

3)  Exhibit sustainable qualities at a broad level:
     *Environment - Minimize effects on the natural environment through proper site utilization,
      innovative uses of materials, energy reduction, use of alternative energy sources, reduced
      emissions and water consumption.
     *People - Must have a positive effect on the inhabitants and the quality of human life.
     *Community - Must demonstrate relevance to the contemporary and future needs of the
      community in which it is located.
     *Economic - The building should add economic vitality to its occupants, owner, and
      community.

4)  The project must achieve a high standard of excellence and quality in its realization.

5)  The site planning and response to its immediate context must ensure rich and meaningful urban environments.

6)  The contributions of the project should be generally consistent with the values and mission of the CTBUH.

Notes:
1)  From the four regional awards as outlined above, one project is awarded the honor of Best Tall Building "Worldwide" which is announced on the night of the awards ceremony.
2)  Awards in some categories may not be conferred on an annual basis if the criteria cannot be clearly met or demonstrated through the submittal.
3)  Jury nominations for all regional winners and the overall building winner must be ratified by the CTBUH Board of Trustees.

Lynn S. Beedle Award – Past Winners

1) The award recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall building and the urban environment during his or her professional career. These contributions and leadership are recognized by the professional community and have significant effects, which extend beyond the professional community, to enhance cities and the lives of their inhabitants. The individual’s contributions may be well known or little known by the public and may take any form, such as completed projects, research, technology, methods, ideas, or industry leadership.

2) The candidate may be from any area of specialization, including, but not limited to: architecture, structure, building systems, construction, academia, planning, development or management. The award emphasizes the unique, multi-disciplinary nature of the Council and is thus set apart from other professional organizations’ awards for single disciplines. The candidate may or may not be a member of the Council.

3) The contributions of the award recipient should be generally consistent with the values and mission of the CTBUH and its founder, Dr. Lynn S. Beedle.

4) The award is not intended to be awarded posthumously, although it may be so awarded in some cases.

Fazlur R. Khan Medal – Past Winners

1) The award recognizes an individual for his/her demonstrated excellence in technical design and/or research that has made a significant contribution to a discipline(s) for the design of tall buildings and the built urban environment. The contribution may be demonstrated in the form of specific technical advances, innovations, design breakthroughs, building systems integration or innovative engineering systems that resulted in a practical design solution and completion of a project(s). The consideration may be based on a single project or creative achievement through multiple projects.

2) The candidate may or may not be a member of the Council.

3) The personal attributes of the award recipient should be of high professional integrity and individual’s contributions generally be consistent with the mission of the Council.

4) The award is not intended to be awarded posthumously, although it may be so awarded in some cases.

Special Global Icon Award

1) The CTBUH Global Icon award is bestowed to a unique tall building for the profound impact it has made, not only on its local/regional context, but on the genre of tall buildings globally. Innovative in planning, design and execution, it will have influenced and re-shaped the field of tall building architecture, engineering, and urban planning. This award is only conferred occasionally, perhaps every ten or fifteen years, and when merited by an exceptional building. The inaugural CTBUH Global Icon award was conferred on the Burj Khalifa in 2010.

2) This award cannot be applied for and is only bestowed at the discretion of the CTBUH Board of Trustees.