A Chicago group has named the Burj Qatar the best tall building in the world for its innovative use of Islamic design and environment-friendly technology.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which previously named the Burj Qatar the best tall building in the MENA region, conferred the award during a ceremony last night, World Architecture News reports.

The $125 million, 46-story building, still incorrectly referred to as the “Doha Tower” by  the CTBUH, was designed by Jean Nouvel, the famous French architect who is also creating the look for Qatar’s National Museum.

It beat out three other regional winners for the award: the Absolute Towers in Mississauga, Canada (Americas); 1 Bligh Street in Sydney (Asia and Australia); and Palazzo Lombardia in Milan (Europe).

WAN reports:

“The skin of the building is a beautiful expression of the local culture, connecting this very modern tower with ancient Islamic designs,” said Richard Cook, awards chairman and partner in Cook + Fox Architects. “It also provides a fantastic pattern of light within the building, while efficiently dampening the heat gains internally of the sun’s rays.”

…“Doha Tower is an excellent example of an efficient modern tower that is inspired by its local culture and setting,” said Antony Wood, executive director of the CTBUH. “In an age of homogenized slick towers globally, Doha Tower is rooted to its place. This is not a non-specific icon which you could drop into any city of the world.”

Congrats!

Thoughts?

Credit: Images courtesy of Ateliers Jean Nouvel