Thirteen building projects win top steel design awards

Chicago — Thirteen structural steel building projects have earned national recognition in the 2017 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel awards program (IDEAS²). The winning projects and their respective team members were recognized during the 2017 NASCC: The Steel Conference in San Antonio. Conducted annually by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the IDEAS² awards recognize excellence and innovation in the use of structural steel on building projects across the country. In existence for more than half a century, the award is the highest honor bestowed on building projects by the structural steel industry in the U.S.

“These projects and the creative people behind them showcase the beauty and usefulness of structural steel,” commented Charlie Carter, president of AISC. “What a great compilation of excellent solutions. Congratulations to the award-winning teams!”

A panel of design and construction industry professionals identified National and Merit winners in three categories, based on total constructed value: projects greater than $75 million; projects $15 million to $75 million; and projects less than $15 million. In addition, the panel awarded a Presidential Award of Excellence in Engineering to one project for structural engineering accomplishment, and also selected an outstanding sculpture project.

The 2017 award-winning projects are:

Projects Greater than $75 Million

• National Award: Samsung Americas Headquarters (Device Solutions), San Jose, Calif. Entering firm: Arup, Los Angeles
• National Award: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C. Entering firm: Clark/Smoot/Russell A Joint Venture, Bethesda, Md.
• Merit Award: Fulton Center, New York. Entering firm: Arup, New York
• Merit Award: Nippert Stadium West Pavilion, Cincinnati, Ohio. Entering firm: THP Limited, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio

Projects $15 Million to $75 Million

• National Award: Los Angeles Valley College Monarch Center, Valley Glen, Calif. Entering firm: LPA, Inc., Irvine, Calif.
• National Award: Terminal East Infill at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas. Entering firm: Architectural Engineers Collaborative, Austin, Texas
• Merit Award: Weber County Library Headquarters Branch, Roy, Utah. Entering firm: ARW Engineers, Ogden, Utah
• Merit Award: Southwest University Park, El Paso, Texas. Entering firm: Walter P Moore, Austin, Texas

Projects Less than $15 Million

• National Award: Pterodactyl office, Culver City, Calif. Entering firm: NAST Enterprises Corp., Los Angeles
• Merit Award: Chinatown Public Library, Chicago. Entering firm: Drucker Zajdel Structural Engineers, Chicago
• Merit Award: Lamar Station Classroom for Urban Farming, Lakewood, Colo. Entering firm: ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, Denver

Presidential Award of Excellence in Engineering

• Four World Trade Center, New York. Entering firm: Leslie E. Robertson Associates, New York

Jury Recognition – Art Installation/Sculpture/Non-Building Structure

• Antony Gormley Sculpture Fabrication & Installation, Cambridge, Mass. Entering firm: Summit Metal Fabricators, Salem, N.H. (AISC member / AISC certified fabricator)

The 13 IDEAS² winners were chosen from nearly 100 submissions received from architectural, engineering and construction firms throughout the U.S. Each project was judged on its use of structural steel from both an architectural and structural engineering perspective, with an emphasis on: creative solutions to the project’s program requirements; applications of innovative design approaches in areas such as connections, gravity systems, lateral load resisting systems, fire protection and blast; aesthetic and visual impact of the project; innovative use of architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS); technical or architectural advances in the use of the steel; and the use of innovative design and construction methods.

The program also recognizes the importance of teamwork, coordination and collaboration in fostering successful construction projects. Awards for each winning project will be presented to the project team members involved in the design and construction of the structural framing system, including the architect, structural engineer of record, general contractor, owner and AISC member fabricator, erector, detailer and bender-roller. The awards are presented to the team members at ceremonies held at each of the winning projects during the year.

For more information about the IDEAS² awards, visit www.aisc.org/ideas2.