Proud to share that KOSY founder Sebastian Grøgaard’s student, Young Jiang, has won first prize in the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU, previously CTBUH) 2025 International Student Design Competition.

The project was developed within the High Performance Technology graduation studio at the University of New South Wales, initiated by Philip Oldfield and co-led by Mladen Prnjatovic and Sebastian. The proposal explores the upcycling of the former 24-storey Commonwealth Bank office tower on Liverpool Street in Sydney into a vertical school combining primary, intermediate, and high school programs, with after-school care and a mix of public and semi-public domains.

By retaining 73% of the existing floor area, the design shows how adaptive reuse can extend the life of post-war office towers while transforming them into community-serving architecture. Prefabricated modular classrooms are stacked within the existing concrete frame to create light-filled, nature-connected learning spaces. Stepped terraces link levels socially and visually, and the dialogue between the existing Brutalist structure and new sustainable materials strengthens the architectural identity while keeping the original building legible.

Congratulations to Young Jiang on a well-deserved international recognition.