2017 AEC Excellence Awards

First place: Dubai Future Foundation, Killa Design, BuroHappold Engineering, BAM Higgs & Hill, Transgulf

While the interior of many museums look at the past, the Museum of the Future will be everything its name embodies:  exhibitions of innovation and incubation of new ideas. The building itself reflects this completely.

Located adjacent to Emirates Towers in Dubai, the $136 million, 30,000 square meter iconic building will have an instantly recognizable distorted torus shape, epitomized by its futuristic stainless steel façade with illuminated glazed Arabic calligraphy. Seven floors of exhibition space will showcase innovative and futuristic concepts, services, and products for the future of cities, healthcare, and education along with areas devoted to labs and a 400-seat auditorium.

Second place: Tianjin Architecture Design Institute

In 2016, China approved its 2016-2020 National Fitness Plan that targets increased sports participation and fitness throughout the country as well as growing the sports industry. The plan also includes ambitious construction for fitness facilities and infrastructure to provide closer proximity and accessibility for both urban and rural residents.

Third place: Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau

World expos capture the imagination and innovation of the entire planet, debuting the technologies that will change lives as well as providing the opportunity for collaboration on an international scale. Expo 2020 Dubai will do the same along with a stunning architectural contribution to the city.

Between its opening day on October 20, 2020 and its close on April 10, 2021, the $6.8 billion project will bring together 180 countries (each with its own pavilion) and the capacity to welcome up to 270,000 visitors per day.