Rem Koolhaas’ design for vertical village wins World Building of the Year 2015

A residential development in Singapore, collaboratively designed by Rem Koolhaas’ architecture firm OMA and Buro Ole Scheeren has won World Building of the Year 2015 at the World Architecture Festival (WAF). The vertical village otherwise known as the Interlace, defies conventional tower blocks and is made up of a series of interlocking horizontal buildings, ringing in a new approach to living in the tropics.

Paul Finch, the director of the WAF has described the Interlace as “an example of bold, contemporary architectural thinking.” He also claims the project presents “an alternative way of thinking about developments which might otherwise become generic tower clusters.”

The innovative development is made up of an intricate network of living and social spaces, with 31 six-storey apartment blocks stacked in hexagonal arrangements around open courtyards. The effect is numerous multi-level shared and private outdoor areas that maximise space and the city’s lush environment.

The winning project marks the culmination of the architecture festival’s four-year run in Singapore, before it moves to Berlin in 2016.