The Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM), the City of Frankfurt am Main and DekaBank have announced the 30 nominated high-rise projects for the International Highrise Award (IHP) 2026/27. This selection was made from over 1,000 new high-rises erected worldwide in the last two years. The nominated structures originate from twelve countries and are spread across five continents. The announcement of the five finalists is scheduled for autumn, while the winner will be honoured on 3 November 2026 in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt am Main.
The International Highrise Award has been presented biennially for 22 years and addresses architects and developers of buildings 100 metres or taller that have been completed in the preceding two years. The award is considered a significant accolade in international high-rise architecture and recognises projects that combine exemplary sustainability, external design, internal spatial qualities, and social and urban planning aspects. Innovative construction technology and economic viability are also among the evaluation criteria.
Current Developments and Geographical Focus
This year's research by DAM confirms a continuing trend towards mixed-use high-rises, which have been regularly featured among the finalists since 2014. Furthermore, extensive greening and the construction of high-rise clusters are now established standards in high-rise architecture. In view of land scarcity and increased environmental awareness, existing building stock in high-rise construction is receiving growing attention. While China, the USA, and Australia continue to be the most active markets for high-rise construction, South America, particularly Argentina and Brazil, as well as Singapore, are developing into relevant hotspots for high-rise architecture.
The “Frankfurt Four” project by UNStudio was not nominated, as DekaBank, a co-initiator of the IHP, is based there, in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest. The distribution of the nominated projects highlights a global presence, with a concentration in Asia.
Regional Distribution of Nominees
- —Asia: 14 projects (9x China, 2x Singapore, 1x Malaysia, 1x South Korea, 1x United Arab Emirates)
- —Australia: 5 projects
- —North America: 5 projects (exclusively USA)
- —South America: 3 projects (1x Argentina, 2x Brazil)
- —Europe: 3 projects (1x Belgium, 1x Germany, 1x Austria)
Among the nominated projects are the Europa-Allee-Tower in Frankfurt am Main by cma cyrus moser architekten and the Vienna Twentytwo in Vienna by DMAA Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, exemplary of European participation. Internationally, the Huergo 475 Tower in Buenos Aires by Adamo-Faiden and Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur by FK Architects are represented, underscoring the global reach of the competition.
