Asian developers stole the show, winning the top eight awards for their projects at this year's Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets held in Dubai, UAE.

Sustainability was a key theme at this year’s awards, with many projects achieving high levels of not only environmental responsibility, but also social, economic and cultural aspects.

With a strong international presence, 37 finalists representing projects from all around the world including China, India, Turkey, Russia and Brazil, vied for the top spot at a glittering award ceremony held in Conrad Hotel Dubai this week.

The Chinese architects dominated the awards night winning eight of the 13 categories for projects in Hong Kong and China, led by architect Aedas which took home an impressive five awards for future mixed-use project, future and built commercial project, future leisure and hospitality project and future retail project.

Aedas projects highlighted on the night were Heartland 66 in Wuhan, China; The Forum in Hong Kong; the Main Office Building of the Macau Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Tech Park in Zhuhai, China; Novotel Linkong 16-1 in Shanghai, China; and Qingdao Jinmao Harbour Shopping Center in Qingdao, China.

Keith Griffiths, the chairman of Aedas said: "These awards will reinforce our leading position in architectural design and demonstrate our capabilities in designing world-class, award-winning architecture."

As such, the shortlist for the Sustainability Project category was extended to four projects, with the eventual winner announced as Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP) and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, HKSARG for the Ko Shan Theatre New Wing in Hong Kong.

The judges had an especially difficult time deciding the winner of the sustainability category because the entries this year were extremely strong and also because many architects and developers are now putting sustainability at the heart of their projects.

The winner - RLP - was finally selected on the basis of it addressing all pillars of sustainability in development: environmental, social, economic and cultural.

On the win, Dr Ronald Lu said: "This is the second year we have won at the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets and it is a huge honour. Recognition of this kind is a great way to showcase our company’s design theory outside of the Asia region."

“RLP is committed to a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. With this solid foundation and our unique vision of putting people at the heart of every design decision, we will continue to build liveable places for humanity in the years and decades ahead,” he added.

Melkan Gursel Tabanlioglu, partner and architect, Tabanlioglu Architects, winner of Residential Project Award for its Qent Istinye; Istanbul, Turkey said: “This is our twelfth year at Cityscape and we have won many awards in the past."

"Winning this award gives everyone at Tabanlioglu a positive boost and the recognition is valuable to our organisation. Our sustained success at the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets is a motivating factor to our continued participation in the event,” remarked Melkan.

On a regional level, winners from Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar were celebrating  too.

Abu Dhabi-based developer Miral won the award for built retail project for its Welcome Pavilion and Cascade Dining development, working with the Dubai branch of architects RTKL UK.

The other 2015 Winners at the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets are:

 -TradeArabia News Service