CTBUH Congresses, Conferences & Symposiums

The CTBUH typically holds at least one international conference per year and a world congress every four to five years. These events are held in relevant cities around the world and provide presentations from the world's leading experts in all disciplines of tall buildings. 

Conference & Congress Archive
World Congress Archive


2012 Awards Symposium
Hermann Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago
October 18th, 2012


In its third year, the annual free Awards Symposium was held before the Awards Dinner & Ceremony. Nine presentations were made from each of the winners of the Best Tall Building Awards, along with two Featured Finalists and Lifetime Achievement winners. 

CTBUH Shanghai 2012 World Congress
Grand Hyatt Jin Mao, Shanghai, September 19-21, 2012

That the 21st Century will be the age of the Asian Skyscraper seems indisputable. Already, the past two decades have witnessed a major shift in tall buildings from west to east.

2011 Awards Symposium
Hermann Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago
November 3rd, 2011


For the second year, the CTBUH has organized a free afternoon Awards Symposium to precede the annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner. Over 600 delegates heard special presentations from representatives of the regional award winning projects and  Lifetime Achievement winners.

Seoul CTBUH 2011 World Conference: "Why Tall? Green, Safety & Humanity"
COEX, Seoul, South Korea, 10-12 October 2011

The CTBUH 2011 World conference took place in Seoul – the heart of the rapidly developing country of South Korea. It aimed to shed new light on the meaning and value of tall buildings in the modern society from the perspectives of green, safety, and humanity.

2010 Awards Symposium
Hermann Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology campus, Chicago
October 21, 2010


For the first time, the CTBUH organized an Awards Symposium preceding the annual Awards Dinner. Here, regional award winning projects were introduced by representatives from both the building owners and the architects while lifetime award winners reflected upon their careers.

 CTBUH 2010 World Conference - Remaking Sustainable Cities in the Vertical Age

CTBUH 2010 World Conference: "Remaking Sustainable Cities in the Vertical Age"
Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center, Mumbai, India
3-5 February, 2010


Rapid urbanization of developing countries such as India and China over the past decade have resulted in almost 200,000 people migrating from rural to urban regions somewhere on the planet every day (United Nations statistics).


Chicago Conference    
CTBUH 2009 Chicago Conference: "Evolution of the Skyscraper: New Challenges in a World of Global Warming and Recession"
Hermann Hall, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
October 22-23, 2009


Tall Buildings have enjoyed two decades of unprecedented development – built in greater number, height and geographical spread than at any time in history. That position is now under threat from the twin challenges of global climate change and a severe international economic recession.

Moscow Gaining Height "Moscow Gaining Height"
Conference Focused on Information and Cultural Exchange
Moscow, October 22 - 24, 2008


Held in the prestigious setting of the Ararat Park Hyatt Hotel Moscow, the 120 delegates in attendance were treated to an inspiring three days of information and cultural exchange. Organized by the Lobby Agency and TSNIIEP, with the CTBUH as international conference partner.

8th World Congress, Dubai   CTBUH 8th World Congress: "Tall and Green: Typology for a Sustainable Urban Future"
Dubai, March 3 - 5, 2008

This was a record event for the Council, with 954 delegates attending, representing 43 separate countries. The Congress hosted presentations, seminars and workshops covering virtually every aspect of tall building development, with a particular emphasis on sustainability.

Chicago, 2006: Thinking Outside the Box
     CTBUH Chicago Conference: "Thinking Outside the Box: Tapered, Tilted, Twisted Towers"
Chicago, October 25 - 26, 2006

The conference theme "Thinking Outside the Box: Tapered, Tilted, Twisted Towers" was addressed by many of the world's leading experts in architecture, engineering and construction, with detailed investigations into many different aspects of these unusual articulated towers.