Building a waste-free world: Quay Quarter Tower joins 2025 Earthshot Prize Finalists

For the first time in the history of The Earthshot Prize, a building has been recognised for exceptional climate leadership. The world’s first upcycled skyscraper, Quay Quarter Tower is a finalist in the Build a Waste-free World category of the prestigious environmental award. Established by HRH Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize champions universal action that will drive significant progress towards repairing the planet.

Quay Quarter Tower demonstrates the possibilities of retrofitting existing buildings to save carbon, reduce waste and minimise the environmental impact of construction. The vision to preserve one of Sydney’s iconic 1970’s buildings, was driven by the co-owners, alongside a coalition of architects, engineers, building contractors, and developers, including Danish architects 3XN, executive architect BVN, building envelope and façade engineers Arup, structural engineers BG&E and contractor Multiplex.

Managed by Dexus and owned by Dexus Wholesale Property Fund (DWPF), Mirvac Wholesale Office Fund (MWOF) and superannuation fund Rest, Quay Quarter Tower joins a historic coalition of leaders recognised for driving climate action and inspiring everyone to build a better future for people and planet.

BVN worked on this extraordinary project for almost a decade, beginning with a masterplan which identified Quay Quarter Tower as the centrepiece for the precinct. Danish architects, 3XN were the winners of an international design competition with a design to augment the existing tower. 3XN and BVN developed the project in detail, resolving the many complex challenges of transforming the original building. When Multiplex was appointed to build QQT in 2018, BVN, as the executive architect, was novated to the builder, coordinating construction through to conclusion in 2022.

This year’s Earthshot Prize Finalists were selected from nearly 2,500 nominees submitted by the Prize’s network of 575 nominators from 72 countries. The 15 Finalists were chosen based on assessments undertaken by The Earthshot Prize’s selection partners and Expert Advisory Panel, a global group of more than 100 subject-matter experts with deep backgrounds in conservation, science, technology, business, finance, academia and policy.

As in previous years, the five Winners of this year’s Prize will be selected by HRH Prince William and fellow members of the prestigious Earthshot Prize Council, a diverse group of individuals dedicated to protecting the climate and our natural environment. The Earthshot Prize Council is chaired by The Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees Chair, Dame Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Climate Accord.

Quay Quarter Tower was recognised by the World Architecture Festival in 2022, winning World Building of the Year and by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in 2023, awarded Winner of the Best Tall Building, Worldwide, among a long list of Australian and Global awards for the climate and built environment.