In Sharq, the financial district of the city of Kuwait, this 300-meter-tall skyscraper by Foster+Partners uses passive and active measures to keep its water and energy consumption low. Through a combination of structural innovation and energy efficiency the design protects the work spaces against the soaring temperatures characteristic of this Arab country’s extreme climate. The cylindrical form, tapered on top, opens like a shell northward to offer views of the Gulf, while to the south it presents concrete fins that emphasize the vertical form of the office tower.