2017 AEC Excellence Awards

First place: Geotectura, Axelrod-Grobman Architects, NCA, Assa Aharoni Consulting Engineers

As a place for environmental education, The Porter School of Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University truly embodies what is taught and researched both within and outside of its walls.

Designed and constructed by Geotectura, Axelrod Grobman Architects, NCA, and Assa Aharoni Consulting Engineers, the 4,000 square-meter building is the first of its kind in Israel, achieving both LEED Platinum certification (92 points) and 5 stars in the Israeli Green Code 5281.

Second place: Tianjin Architecture Design Institute

Jie Fang Nan Lu Community Culture and Sports Center is dedicated to public welfare—both physically and culturally. With a total construction area of 11,659.5 square meters, it includes a natatorium, badminton courts, lecture and multi-functional halls, gymnasium, conference halls, a community school, and more. The center is also designed for maximum sustainability and to operate as a net-zero building, obtaining both LEED Platinum and China’s Three Star certifications.

Third place: Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited

Smart cities don’t have to start from scratch—they can be built within metropolitan cities right now.

Take WHIZDOM 101 in Bangkok as a prime example. Its mission is to transform an urban, 17-acre plot into a smart city model with a fully integrated, digital, mixed-use development with both commercial space and residential towers. By minimizing environmental impacts, saving energy, and reducing carbon emissions, the $1 billion project with a gross floor area of 3,842,716 square feet is designed not only to improve quality of life, but also boost sustainable development for the community.