Save this picture! Bosco Verticale, Milan / Boeri Studio. Image © Kirsten Bucher

Bosco Verticale by Boeri Studio has won the 2014 International Highrise Award, deeming it to be the “most beautiful and innovative highrise in the world." Selected from a competitive shortlist of towers by Rem Koolhass, Steven Holl and Jean Nouvel, the forested highrise was praised by the jury for bringing 800 trees and 14 thousand plants to the Milan skyline.

“The Vertical Forest is an expression of the human need for contact with nature,” stated jury president Christoph Ingenhoven. “It is a radical and daring idea for the cities of tomorrow, and without a doubt represents a model for the development of densely populated urban areas in other European countries.”

Save this picture! Bosco Verticale, Milan / Boeri Studio. Image © Kirsten Bucher

Stefano Boeri responded, “The Vertical Forest represents a new approach to the highrise building, where trees and humans share their living space. It is the first example worldwide of a tower that enhances the hosting city with plant and fauna biodiversity. I am happy for both Milan and Expo, and for the Italian culture.”

The biennial €50,000 prize is promoted by the Frankfurt Museum of Architecture (DAM), the City of Frankfurt and DekaBank. You can view all five of the shortlisted finalists for this year’s award, here.