Editors’ Choice

2019 Skyscraper Competition
Dennis Byun, Sunjoo Lee, Harry Tse

New Zealand

INAAOMATA is a disaster adaptation tower set around the Pacific islands. The tower acts as the last resort to save what is left, which holds important value to the people of Kiribati. It is confirmed that Kiribati will be the first island to sink completely underwater in less than 50 years due to climate change and sea level rising. With these irreversible changes, we have no choice but to adapt and survive.
Alternative survival method has been presented to the Gilbertese to move to a different country and settle down with a different culture and lifestyle. Local elderlies who tooled the culture and sentimental value of their identity and space refused to move to another country. To show the independence of the people and their standing with their culture, the tower is anchored down with a massive dolphin structure in the core to hold everything up, the whole tower floats on the water as the dolphin allows the tower to rise with the sea level. As it?s risen, the tower will be fixed in position until the next rise. The tower is positioned on top of Kiribati which allows the tower itself to enjoy the same climate, environment and lifestyles as the cultural, architecture and method of living has been carried directly through the rising platform. The tower has a maneaba (meeting house) surrounding the core on the first floor to maintain the community and the tower in control of a...