The distinctive and innovative Doha Tower, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, was named Best Tall Building Worldwide by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat on October 18, in a ceremony in the Illinois Institute of Technology's seminal Crown Hall, Chicago, USA. Doha Tower, which was first named the Best Tall Building in the Middle East and Africa, took the overall award out of the four regional winners.
     The building was honored for incorporating elements of traditional regional design with modern technologies to create an environmentally-sensitive icon for Qatar's capital. The eye-catching cylindrical facade is constructed of multi-layered patterns invoking ancient Islamic screens designed to shade buildings from the sun.
     "The skin of the building is a beautiful expression of the local culture, connecting this very modern tower with ancient Islamic designs," said Richard Cook, awards chairman and partner in Cook + Fox Architects." It also provides a fantastic pattern of light within the building, while efficiently dampening the heat gains internally of the sun's rays."
     Doha Tower is the first tall building to use reinforced concrete dia-grid columns internally. There is also no central core, maximizing the interior space available for tenants.
     "Doha Tower is an excellent example of an efficient modern tower that is inspired by its local culture and setting," said Antony Wood, executive director of the CTBUH. "In an age of homogenized slick towers globally, Doha Tower is rooted to its place. This is not a non-specific icon which you could drop into any city of the world".
     The CTBUH Best Tall Building Awards are an independent review of new projects, judged by a panel of industry experts. Projects are recognized for making an extraordinary contribution to the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment, and for achieving sustainability at the broadest level.

Photo: Courtesy Ateliers Jean Nouvel