The Skinscape submission by SCI-Arc graduate students Jaegeun Lim (M.Arch 2 ‘14), Woongyeun Park (M.Arch 2 ‘14), Haejun Jung (ESTm ‘13) and Karam Kim (M.Arch 1 ‘15) received an Honorable Mention in the 2013 Skyscraper competition organized by eVolo magazine.

Skinscape: Morphing Contiguous Skysrapers

Their project was inspired from the idea that the natural environment modifies architecture as time passes by, and in some instances, nature even reclaims it. Similar to the Banyan trees covering the 12th century Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia—which today’s experts have decided not to remove due to their effect on the building’s structural system—this proposal explores the possibility of creating a building tissue between skyscrapers. This tissue would not only add to the buildings but also modify them to allow for new programs.

The idea is that buildings need to evolve with time because their initial design intentions and programs morph with time. Vacant spaces become active and a new hybrid emerges from the integration of two distinct buildings.

Established in 2006, eVolo’s skyscraper competition puts together each year an international panel of renowned architects, engineers and designers to jury entries from participants from around the world, including professional architects and designers, as well as students and artists. Jurors this year included Vincent Callebaut of Vincent Callebaut Architectures, Giacomo Costa of The Chronicles of Time, SCI-Arc alumnus Julien De Smedt of JDS, SCI-Arc graduate programs chair Hernan Diaz Alonso of Xefirotarch, Matthias Hollwich of HWKN, Ed Keller of aUm Studio, Mark Kushner of HWKN, Francois Roche of R&Sie(n), Roland Snooks of Kokkugia, SCI-Arc design faculty Tom Wiscombe of Tom Wiscombe Design, and several competition winners from previous editions.

Check out the 2013 eVolo Skyscraper full list of winners HERE.