The award is presented by the International Council for Tall Buildings and the Urban Environment (CTBUH). First, the winners of the prize are determined in 4 regions (the construction of the Hall became the best in Asia, Australia and Oceania), and then the absolute winner is selected from 4 laureates.
The newly commissioned Linked Hybrid consists of 8 towers connected in an almost oval ring by 8 bridges, which include a swimming pool, fitness center, café, exhibition gallery, auditorium and nightclub. The complex is located near the line of passage of the not preserved fortress walls of Beijing; it is contrasted with the typical urban development of modern China: continuing the theme of “porosity,” which is important for Hall's work, the ensemble is open to the outside from all sides and serves as a recreational area for the townspeople. It includes 750 apartments, various infrastructure facilities and a hotel with 82 rooms. The porous structure of the Linked Hybrid creates a variety of perspectives - from the outside to the outside or even through the complex, top-down and bottom-up, endless diagonal variations - that closely link the new structure to the urban environment.
In the ring of towers there are buildings of lesser height with roof gardens, and between them is a courtyard with greenery and ponds. All institutions located there - a Montessori school, a kindergarten, cafes, restaurants, shops, a cinema - are connected to green spaces.
The complex will be cooled and heated by a geothermal system of 660 wells. Thanks to her, Linked Hybrid has become one of the largest "green" residential areas in the world and can qualify for the LEED Gold Energy Certificate.
The useful area of the complex is 220,000 m2. It is designed for more than 2,500 residents.
UPD: Linked Hybrid won the main international award 2009 “Best Tall Building”: the jury recognized him as the best of 4 regional laureates.
