April 6, 2009 from American Institute of Steel Construction

(Chicago) – Eleven structural steel building projects have earned national recognition in the 2009 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel awards program (IDEAS²). Conducted annually by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the IDEAS² awards recognize outstanding achievements in engineering and architecture on structural steel projects around the country.

The winning projects were announced on April 1 during AISC’s 2009 Steel Conference in Phoenix. A panel of design and construction industry professionals identified National and Merit winners in three categories, based on constructed value: Projects Less than $15 million; Projects $15 million to $75 million; and Projects Greater than $75 million. In addition, the panel awarded a Presidential Award of Excellence for structural engineering accomplishment.

Covering an array of project types from a human rights education and advocacy center, an environmentally sustainable museum and real estate commercial building to an Olympic-sized pool/NHL- regulation ice rink complex, university structures and an orthopedic institute, the IDEAS² winners demonstrate the flexible and effective solutions provided by structural steel on a wide variety of building projects. Each project was judged on its use of structural steel, with an emphasis on creative solutions to project requirements; design innovation; aesthetic and visual impact of the project; innovative use of architecturally exposed structural steel; technical or architectural advances in the use of the steel; the use of innovative design and construction methods; and sustainable design and construction.

The 11 IDEAS² winners were chosen from nearly 100 submissions received from architectural and engineering firms throughout the U.S. 2009 winners include:

Projects Less Than $15 Million

• National Award: Armstrong Oil & Gas – Denver
• Merit Award: Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine – Augusta, Maine
• Merit Award: Raymond and Susan Brochstein Pavilion – Houston
• Merit Award: Museum of Flight, T. Evans Wyckoff Memorial Bridge – Seattle

Projects $15 Million to $75 Million

• National Award: Pool/Ice Rink at Flushing Meadows Corona Park – Queens, N.Y.
• Merit Award: Arizona State University Polytechnic Classroom Buildings – Mesa, Ariz.

Projects Greater than $75 Million

• National Award: Bank of Oklahoma Center (BOk Center) – Tulsa, Okla.
• National Award: California Academy of Sciences – San Francisco
• Merit Award: Swedish Orthopedic Institute – Seattle
• Merit Award: University of Illinois Memorial Stadium – Champaign, Ill.

Presidential Award of Excellence – Structural Engineering

• The Addition at 185 Berry Street – San Francisco

Roger E. Ferch, P.E., president of AISC, commented, “The 2009 IDEAS² winners demonstrate that innovation and creativity can be found on building projects of every size and description. Steel continues to provide excellent solutions for the entire design and construction team, from architects, engineers and developers to fabricators, erectors and general contractors. Congratulations to the award-winning teams for projects that combine creativity, economy, and technical achievement through the use of structural steel.”

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 For more information contact:

Tasha O’Berski
Communications Department
(312) 670-5439
oberski@aisc.org