Professor Hossein Rezai (Professor of Practice, Department of Architecture) has received the 2026 Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU), recognising his contributions to structural engineering and the advancement of tall building design.
The award honours an individual whose career has advanced the science and practice of structural engineering for tall buildings and the built environment. It recognises lasting technical achievement, innovative thinking and contributions that have expanded the possibilities of high-rise design while inspiring future generations of engineers.
Prof Rezai, who is Global Design Director at engineering, architecture and consultancy firm Ramboll, is known for his work in integrated design and innovative structural systems.
Throughout his career, he has advocated a holistic approach to the built environment that brings together architecture, structural engineering, technology and environmental performance from the earliest stages of design. His work has sought to position engineering not simply as a means of solving technical problems, but as a creative discipline that can contribute to more sustainable, resilient and adaptable cities.
Prof Rezai is also one of the originators of the concept of “fusion engineering”, an approach that brings together multiple disciplines to develop more responsive and regenerative design solutions.
“As our cities confront increasingly complex environmental and social challenges, collaboration across disciplines is essential,” said Prof Rezai. “I am deeply honoured to receive the Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Award and to join the distinguished group of engineers and innovators who have advanced the design of tall buildings."
He added: "I have always believed that engineering achieves its greatest value when it brings together creativity, science and purpose.”
Prof Rezai has contributed to numerous prominent buildings in Singapore and internationally, including The Troika in Kuala Lumpur, Lincoln Modern and the Mediacorp headquarters in Singapore, and BRAC University in Dhaka.
His contributions to the design profession have also included serving on the Master Jury of the 13th cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and as a jury member, vice-chair and jury chair of Singapore’s President’s Design Award. He was the first, and remains the only, engineer to be named Designer of the Year at the President’s Design Award.
His recently published book, On Regenerative Design, on Systems, and on Complexity: The Polimi Lectures, explores approaches to regenerative design, systems thinking and the challenges facing the built environment.
Announcing the award, CVU CEO Javier Quintana de Uña said Prof Rezai had “advanced structural engineering as a creative discipline”, demonstrating the importance of innovative thinking in addressing the complex challenges facing architecture today.
The CVU, formerly known as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, is an international organisation focused on tall buildings and sustainable vertical urban development.
Prof Rezai will receive the award during the closing plenary of the 2026 VU Summit, to be held in London from 26 to 29 October.
