Editors’ Choice

2020 Skyscraper Competition
Gidich + Sepúlveda Architecture

United States

In a modern world inundated by an extensive sea of technological apparatus, often artifacts and resources available in abundance to the population are obliterated from people?s minds.  Its ubiquity along with its ancient discoveries turns many other methods of usage into obsolete practice.  Cannabis is most certainly one of the world?s best natural resources, yet its consumption continues to be highly and mainly focused on recreational smoking.  Similar to the obsolescence of cannabis purposes are immense building marvels.  Initially designed and engineered with one purpose at hand when they were constructed, however never repurposed as the time evolves.  The Empire High-Rise takes a dive into all the opportunities cannabis has to offer, whilst seamlessly merging the contingencies of repurposed spaces and programs to one of New York?s most iconic hallmark pieces of architecture, The Empire State building. As a celebration to the year 2020, the Empire High-Rise extrudes 2,020 feet above the existing Empire State building mirroring its façade?s geometrical shape.  However, with new material applications, newly redesigned interior, a full-length atrium and providing a plethora of new programs.  By bringing a modern cannabis urban farm to the heart of Manhattan, it allows for the plant to be explored and promoted to its full potential.  The programs provided by the newes...