Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU) — formerly known as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) — has awarded the title of "Best High-Rise Building in the World 2025" to the ZIN in No(o)rd project in Brussels, Belgium, Azernews reports.

The announcement was made during the Council’s prestigious annual international conference held in Toronto, Canada, where leading architects, engineers, and urbanists from around the world gathered. The 111-meter-tall project was chosen from a pool of entries from 24 countries, recognized for its innovative transformation of a 1970s office complex into a vibrant vertical ecosystem that combines offices, residential units, hotel space, and public areas.

Originally consisting of two separate towers, the site was reimagined into a unified structure through the addition of a third high-rise, seamlessly connecting the existing buildings. The design integrates lush green spaces, cutting-edge energy-efficient technologies, and sustainable materials, turning the project into a flagship example of adaptive reuse and urban regeneration.

A standout feature of ZIN in No(o)rd is its commitment to sustainability. 85% of the original structural mass — including the core and basement levels — was preserved, while over 60% of building materials were reused either on-site or in other projects. This approach not only minimized demolition waste but also dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions, setting a new benchmark for environmentally responsible construction in Europe.

The project’s name, ZIN, is a Dutch word meaning “sense” or “purpose” — perfectly capturing its mission to give new life and meaning to aging infrastructure in a modern, climate-conscious context.

Urban planners across Europe now view ZIN in No(o)rd as a model for large-scale sustainable redevelopment, proving that with smart design and ecological foresight, even outdated buildings can become part of the future cityscape.