CTBUH 50th Anniversary: Moments in History #10

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The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of CTBUH, an important occasion that will be commemorated throughout the year via a series of special events and outputs, culminating with the 10th World Congress in Chicago, 28 October–2 November, on the theme “50 Forward | 50 Back.” Join us each month as we examine key moments in the Council’s rich history, which track the progression and ascendance of both the organization and dense vertical urbanism on a global scale.

Moment #10: Building Industry Honors Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat’s 50th Anniversary Through Skyscraper Costumes

The costume-wearers at the 50th Anniversary Dinner gather together for a photo at the conclusion of the night’s festivities.

On the evening of 30 October 2019, and at the conclusion of the CTBUH 10th World Congress core, over 445 delegates convened in Chicago’s Aqua Tower ballroom for a black-tie dinner in celebration of the Council’s 50th Anniversary. Inspired by the Beaux-Arts Architects Ball of 1931, in which famous architects came wearing their skyscraper designs as costumes, CTBUH hosted a decidedly updated version of this event, to tie in with its own legacy of fostering essential dialogues about the future of cities. The call for costumes this time around was creatively answered by a more diverse body of architects, developers, and occupiers, clad in a dazzling array of materials, forms, and techniques, reflecting how the composition of the industry’s decision-makers, and the resulting projects, have evolved.

Some 40 tall buildings were represented during a red-carpet fashion show, and a jury-picked selection of “the final seven” were invited on stage for a re-enactment of the original 1931 ball group photograph. Finalist costumes included a three-person tribute to the Marina Bay Sands tower trio, a shimmering Lakhta Center suit, and a stenciled gown and matching headpiece bearing the signature bands of the Aqua Tower. The overall winner Darin Cook, Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, took home US$1,000 for his twin jet packs, each an intricate 3D-printed model of the Petronas Towers.

Additionally, plaques were given to the team members behind the 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years, a survey put together by the Council to encapsulate some of the innovations of the last half-century. At the conclusion of the costume judging, and after everyone had completed a multi-course meal, a celebratory toast and a “50”-shaped cake capped off the lively evening, which was well-covered in the press, including Chicago Tribune and CityLab.

CTBUH looks forward to its continued growth, as well as many more wonderful events.

See all CTBUH 50th Anniversary Dinner Costumes

Darin Cook, Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, as Petronas Twin Towers.

Darin Cook, Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, as Petronas Twin Towers.

CTBUH looks forward to its continued growth, as well as many more wonderful events.

See all CTBUH 50th Anniversary Dinner Costumes

Some 40 tall buildings were represented during a red-carpet fashion show, and a jury-picked selection of “the final seven” were invited on stage for a re-enactment of the original 1931 ball group photograph. Finalist costumes included a three-person tribute to the Marina Bay Sands tower trio, a shimmering Lakhta Center suit, and a stenciled gown and matching headpiece bearing the signature bands of the Aqua Tower. The costume overall winner Darin Cook, Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, took home US$1,000 for his twin jet packs, each an intricate 3D-printed model of the Petronas Towers.

CTBUH looks forward to its continued growth, as well as many more wonderful events.

See all CTBUH 50th Anniversary Dinner Costumes

Darin Cook, Principal, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, as Petronas Twin Towers.

Alexia Cavazos, Design Team Member, Studio Gang, as Aqua at Lakeshore East.

The CTBUH 50th Anniversary Cake.

David Farnsworth, Principal in Structural Engineering, Arup; Andrew Johnson, Principal in Structural Engineering, Arup; and David Scott, Lead Director of Structural Engineering, Laing O’Rouke, as Marina Bay Sands.