Outstanding skyscrapers: 5 finalists of the International Highrise Award

While this structure is used as a classic office space, L. Benjamin Romano's design is particularly innovative in the way the 246-meter-high (807-foot-high) building is conceived to survive earthquakes in Mexico City's risk zone. The highest building in the country impressed the award's jury: "Despite its tremendous height, Torre Reforma still features lightness."

This tower of green in the heart of Singapore's dense business center was designed by WOHA architects, who conceived the structure as "a haven for birds and animals, reintroducing biodiversity into the city." The jury of the International Highrise Award praised the fact that the building's skeletal structure creates impressive open spaces; it's an exemplary oasis of nature in a tropical megacity.

Architects Herzog & de Meuron offer an aesthetic reinterpretation of the concept of living in a Mediterranean climate, adapted to Lebanon's densely populated capital. The platforms layered in playful patterns create a fluid transition between the inside and the outside of the building, offering airy spaces in which to spend time as well breathtaking views.

This highrise is one of the two structures designed by German architect Ole Scheeren's firm that was nominated for this year's International Highrise Award. At 77 stories high, it is Thailand's tallest building. With its unusual pixelated facade, the skyscraper embodies a new landmark for Bangkok.

The International Highrise Award jury noted how this building is "as unconventional as it is harmonious." The Beijing-based firm MAD Architects were inspired by traditional Chinese landscape painting in their design located in the business district of China's capital. It's a demonstration of a unique and modern architectural language that also strengthens cultural identity, the jury added.