Belatchew Arkitekter's Strawscraper concept for transforming Henning Larsen's Söder Torn tower involves adding a 16-storey extension over the top of the building, then covering the entire facade in hairy-looking plastic straws designed to move with the wind.

The straws would use piezoelectric technology to convert motion into electricity, without the noise and other environmental problems of a typical wind farm.

"What is usually considered to be the most static of all things, the building, suddenly comes alive and the construction gives the impression of a body that is breathing," explain the architects.

Completed in 1997, the 86-metre-high Söder Torn is one of the tallest residential towers in Stockholm. It was designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen, who famously walked away from the project after planning compromises caused the building to lose 16 of its intended 40 storeys.

The new proposals would reintroduce the proportions first proposed by Larsen, adding a restaurant between the existing apartments and the new wind farm, as well as a viewing platform with panoramic views across Stockholm.

Other unusual skyscraper proposals on Dezeen include designs for thatched towers in London and a concept for skyscrapers constructed from rubbish in São Paulo. See more conceptual architecture.

Here's some more information from Belatchew Arkitekter:

Strawscraper – an Urban Power Plant in Stockholm

Belatchew Arkitekter presents Strawscraper, the first project to come out of the newly established Belatchew Labs. Strawscraper is an extension of Söder Torn on Södermalm in Stockholm with a new energy producing shell covered in straws that can recover wind energy.

What was supposed to become a building of 40 flights became 26. Söder Torn on Södermalm in central Stockholm was finalised 1997, but the architect Henning Larsen had already left the contract after having lost influence over the design of the tower.

Belatchew Arkitekter wants to give Söder Torn its original proportions and at the same time explore new techniques that could create the urban wind farm of the future. By using piezoelectric technology a large number of thin straws can produce electricity merely through small movements generated by the wind. The result is a new kind of wind power plant that opens up possibilities of how buildings can produce energy. With the help of this technique surfaces on both old and new buildings can be transformed into energy producing entities.

Furthermore, an additional aspect is revealed when the constant movement of the straws creates an undulating landscape on the facades. What is usually considered to be the most static of all things, the building, suddenly comes alive and the construction gives the impression of a body that is breathing.

The straws swaying in the wind gives the building a constantly changing facade further reinforced at nighttime with lighting in changing colours.

The straws of the facade consist of a composite material with piezoelectric properties that can turn motion into electrical energy. Piezoelectricity is created when certain crystals' deformation is transformed into electricity. The technique has advantages when compared to traditional wind turbines since it is quite and does not disturb wildlife. It functions at low wind velocity since only a light breeze is sufficient for the straws to start swaying and generate energy.

The existing premise on top of the building is replaced with a public floor with room for a restaurant. The new extension creates, a part from the energy producing shell, room for the citizens with the possibility to reach a lookout platform at the very top of the tower with an unmatched view of Stockholm.

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News: British firm Wilkinson Eyre Architects has won a competition to design a $1.5 billion hotel skyscraper on the harbourfront in Sydney, Australia.

The proposal by last year's World Building of the Year winners beat submissions from international firm Kohn Pedersen Fox and Chicago practice Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, which recently unveiled plans for Mumbai's tallest tower.

The news comes two months after plans were announced for what will be Australia's tallest building, a 388-metre-high tower in Melbourne, while last month British architect Grimshaw submitted plans for a 90-storey skyscraper in a suburb of Sydney.

Wilkinson Eyre's planned 235-metre-tall skyscraper, located in the Barangaroo South area near Sydney Harbour Bridge, will be occupied by a six-star luxury hotel, The Crown Sydney Hotel Resort.

The winning design is inspired by nature, according to the architects. "Its curved geometry emanates from three petal forms which twist and rise together," said Paul Baker, director at Wilkinson Eyre.

"The first petal peels off, spreading outward to form the main hotel room accommodation, with the remaining two twisting together toward the sky."

Chris Wilkinson, director of Wilkinson Eyre, said: "My ambition is to create a sculptural form that will rise up on the skyline like an inhabited artwork, with differing levels of transparency, striking a clear new image against the sky."

The building will contain around 350 guestrooms and suites, four restaurants, a day spa, rooftop pool and high-end shops.

Crown Resorts chairman James Packer said the building would be an "instantly recognisable" landmark for the city.

"Its iconic curves and fine lines celebrate the harbour and create an architectural 'postcard' that will help attract international tourists and assist Sydney to compete with other global destinations," he said.

Wilkinson Eyre's Gardens by the Bay tropical garden in Singapore was named World Building of the Year at last year's World Architecture Festival, where we filmed an interview with the firm's Chris Wilkinson.

Other projects by Wilkinson Eyre include a kilometre-long cable car over the river Thames in London and a PVC tent that hosted basketball during the London 2012 Olympics – see all architecture by Wilkinson Eyre.

Here's some more information from Crown Resorts:

Crown announces Wilkinson Eyre Architects as the Winning Design for Crown Sydney Hotel Resort

Crown Resorts today announced that Wilkinson Eyre Architects had been successful as the winning design for the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort. The joint judging panel unanimously recommended the Wilkinson Eyre design to Crown, following an extended competition to design the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort at Barangaroo South on the city's harbourfront.

The final three designs by internationally renowned architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and Wilkinson Eyre Architects were judged by a panel consisting of representatives from Crown Resorts, Lend Lease, the Barangaroo Delivery Authority and the NSW Department of Planning. All were praised for their professionalism and innovative designs. The firms presented their designs to the judges last week, and the panel made a formal recommendation to Crown on the suitability of each design and its ability to achieve the desired vision and outcomes for Barangaroo and Crown.

Crown Resorts Chairman, James Packer, thanked the judging panel and congratulated Wilkinson Eyre and its key architects Chris Wilkinson and Paul Baker. "Wilkinson Eyre have an incredible record of achievement and I am certain they will deliver Sydney an iconic building we can all be proud of. This great city deserves a building that is truly special and Wilkinson Eyre's design delivers it. It's a wonderful moment for Crown."

Discussing the hotel's iconic sculptural design, Mr Packer said: "When completed, Crown Sydney will be instantly recognisable around the world. Its iconic curves and fine lines celebrate the harbour and create an architectural ‘postcard’ that will help attract international tourists and assist Sydney to compete with other global destinations."

On winning the design competition, Chris Wilkinson, Founding Director, Wilkinson Eyre Architects stated: "Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and it is a great privilege to design such a significant building on the waterfront. My ambition is to create a sculptural form that will rise up on the skyline like an inhabited artwork, with differing levels of transparency, striking a clear new image against the sky."

Paul Baker, Director, Wilkinson Eyre Architects added: "The architecture takes its inspiration from nature, composed of organic forms that provide an abstract, sculptural shape; it does not try to mimic any particular plant or flower but is derived from the specificity of the site and the client brief. Its curved geometry emanates from three forms which twist and rise together. The first form peels off, spreading outward to form the main hotel room accommodation, with the remaining two twisting together toward the sky."

Todd Nisbet, Crown's Executive Vice President – Strategy & Development, said: "Wilkinson Eyre are world renowned for their sustainable and iconic designs and their great attention to detail. The Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is an absolute standout, becoming one of the most recognised tourism assets in the world and an iconic image that is instantly recognisable and linked to Singapore’s new identity as one of Asia’s most important gateway cities."

In October 2012, Crown and Lend Lease invited a number of internationally acclaimed architects for their interest in participating in the Crown Sydney Hotel Architectural Design Competition. The brief to the architects stated: "Crown, Lend Lease and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority are seeking a bold and innovative design team to create Australia’s best hotel in Australia’s most exciting new precinct – a new landmark building on Sydney Harbour that will become a destination for international tourists and seekers of luxury."

Subject to receipt of all necessary approvals and subject to finalisation of commercial arrangements between Crown, Lend Lease and the BDA, the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort will sit on the Lend Lease commercial site at the north western corner of Barangaroo South and will have approximately 350 guestrooms and suites. The typical guest rooms will be some of the largest in Australia and the suites and villas will rival the best in Asia. There will be four restaurants, a café, an ultra-lounge, day spa, roof top pool and luxury retail facilities.

On the planning and development processes to follow, Mr Nisbet, said: "The designs are a result of a design competition initiated by Crown and Lend Lease to select an architect for the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort and are not a formal part of the planning approval process. In the near future, Crown in collaboration with Lend Lease will engage in public consultation and seek approval from the Barangaroo Delivery Authority as landowner to lodge an application to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure for all necessary approvals."

Lend Lease has an exclusive dealing agreement with Crown in relation to the development of the hotel resort at Barangaroo South and both parties are working towards final commercial arrangements. The Crown Sydney Hotel Resort Proposal is currently in Stage 2 of the NSW Government's Unsolicited Proposal process.

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News: British firm Foster + Partners has unveiled plans for two residential skyscrapers as part of a mixed-use development in north London.

The skyscrapers will form part of a cluster of residential towers proposed for the City Road area in Islington, including Dutch firm UNStudio's Canaletto building and another proposed by US architects SOM.

The 250 City Road project, led by property developers Berkeley Group, proposes the redevelopment of a 1.9 hectare site currently occupied by a cluster of commercial buildings.

Foster + Partners' plans include 800 homes across two towers, which, at 41 and 36 storeys in height, would be significantly taller than any other buildings in the surrounding area.

Additional buildings containing shops, cafes, restaurants and a community space would be arranged around a central public park and courtyard garden.

Berkeley Group initially employed London practice DSDHA to explore the potential of the site before a public consultation in July last year, after which the project was handed over to Foster + Partners.

The project team, which includes landscape architects Gillespies, has now submitted the planning application to the local council.

Last month UNStudio unveiled its own plans for a 30-storey residential skyscraper on City Road, which studio head Ben Van Berkel introduced to Dezeen at the launch event.

Elsewhere in London, Foster + Partners recently received planning permission for three residential towers on the south side of the river Thames near Lambeth Bridge.

The firm also recently completed a new gallery wing clad with golden pipes at the Lenbachhaus art museum in Munich and an airport terminal under a canopy of domes in Jordan – see all architecture by Foster + Partners.

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News: One World Trade Center in New York has become the world's third-tallest building after topping out at a height of 541 metres.

A 124-metre steel spire was installed last Friday, pushing the skyscraper's height to 1776 feet – a number commemorating the year of America's independence.

One World Trade Center is now the tallest structure in the USA and the third-tallest in the world, although there is debate over whether the spire is actually a removable antenna – a vital distinction in measuring buildings.

Built at a cost of $3.9 billion, the tower also has the distinction of being the most expensive office building in the world.

Previously known as the Freedom Tower, the building is located in the northwest corner of the site where the former World Trade Center towers were destroyed in the 11 September 2001 attacks.

Originally designed by Daniel Libeskind – the architect behind the masterplan for the entire Ground Zero site – the tower underwent numerous revisions before US firm SOM was brought in to oversee its design.

When finally completed it will offer 241,000 square metres of commercial office space as well as observation decks, TV broadcasting facilities and restaurants.

Another building on the site, Four World Trade Center, topped out last summer, while Ground Zero is also home to two fountains sunk into the site of the former Twin Towers – see all architecture in New York.

SOM recently unveiled plans to build Singapore's tallest tower, while last year the firm proposed adding a floating observation deck over New York's Grand Central Terminal – see all architecture by SOM or see all skyscrapers.

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News: after buildings that look like giant underpants and a stack of toilet rolls, here's a tower in Beijing that has been compared to a giant penis.

Seen from one angle, the scaffolding on the upper levels gives the tower an obviously phallic appearance, as internet commenters pointed out this week.

The 150-metre-high building, which will become the new headquarters for the Chinese state newspaper People's Daily, in fact has a wedge-shaped silhouette.

The Chinese government has attempted to block internet users in the country from searching for images of the building, but carefully worded messages have spread the word across Weibo, China's biggest social networking service.

"It seems the People’s Daily is going to rise up, there’s hope for the Chinese dream," said one message.

Others made creative use of Photoshop to illustrate how the tower might fit between the "legs" of the China Central Television (CCTV) headquarters in Beijing, which was designed by OMA.

See more towers with unfortunate likenesses, including one that looks like a pair of trousers, or see all skyscrapers on Dezeen.

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