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SEAOI Announces Winners in its 2009 Excellence in Structural Engineering Competition.”

SEAOI (Structural Engineers Association of Illinois) announced the 2009 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award winners during its Annual Banquet which was held on June 6, 2009. The event was held in the Chicago Cultural Center’s Preston Bradley Hall.

The award winning projects and individuals are as follows:

Best Large Structure: The Index Building

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Halvorson and Partners

Best Medium Structure: The Eleanor and Wilson Greatbatch Pavilion/

Darwin Martin House Visitors’ Center

Buffalo, New York

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Best Small Structure: Ravine House,

Fox Point, Wisconsin

Pierce Engineers

Most Innovative Structure The Richard J. Klarchek Information Commons,

Loyola University

Chicago, Illinois

Halvorson and Partners

Jurors’ Favorite: The Cathedral of Christ the Light

Oakland, California

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Awards of Merit: Portage Park Pavilion

Portage, Indiana

KJWW Engineering

Nichols Bridgeway, The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Arup/Wiss, Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.

Northern Arizona University Dining Hall

and Student Union Expansion

Flagstaff, Arizona

OWP/P

The Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing

Chicago, Illinois

Arup

University of Toronto – Leslie L. Dan School of Pharmacy

Toronto, Ontario

Halcrow Yolles

Meritorious Publication Award: Notes on ACI 318-08 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete

Portland Cement Association

John Parmer Award: D. Stanton Korista

SEAOI Service Award: Carl A. Peterson

Outstanding Young Engineer: Robert A. Sadler

The John Parmer Award is presented to a structural engineer in recognition of his or her outstanding contributions in the field of structural engineering. The candidate must be an individual whose distinguished career is acknowledged by his or her peers to be an example of excellence.

The SEAOI Service Award is awarded to a person who has achieved outstanding success and distinction in his or her career and who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of structural engineering in the State of Illinois.

The Outstanding Young Engineer Award is presented to a practicing structural engineer aged 35 or younger who is recognized by colleagues for his or her outstanding achievements in structural engineering.

Judges’ Comments on some area projects follow:

Most Innovative Structure - The Richard J. Klarchek Information Commons, Loyola University

Halvorson and Partners

“The project goals of transparency and energy efficiency were achieved in the elegant design of the Information Commons building. The energy efficient design and innovative use of radiant piping in the precast panels is notable. The feature stair is very elegant and airy. The LEED silver rating is commendable.”

“The structural design sets the tone for the overall efficient design parti for this building from the stairs to the double curtain wall to the radiant floor innovation in structural design is the key to this building’s success.”

"Strategic integration of structure with building systems is a true engineering accomplishment. Additionally, to achieve such an elegant design for less than $20M on a project of this size is impressive! Well done!"

Award of Merit - Portage Park Pavilion

KJWW Engineering

“The roof design creates the visual transition to its great lakefront location. The Revit 3D model helped solve the technical details of construction. LEED, Gold rating is commendable given its natural setting.”

“The light simple structural design of the Portage Park Pavilion provides a clean inviting expression for a public recreation building. The design exploits all the benefits of steel structural design to create a floating roof reminiscent of the waves in the background and its windswept waterfront terrain.”

Award of Merit - Nichols Bridgeway, The Art Institute of Chicago

Arup/Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.

“Very sleek and compact structure for such a long span. The slender bridge complements the trellis at the nearby Pritzker Pavilion very well and succeeds in minimizing its impact on the views of Lake Michigan.”

“This is an innovative way to create a relatively shallow bridge expression that through its innate design also combats efficiently the required lateral and vertical forces within the Chicago lakefront micro-climate.”

Award of Merit - The Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing

Arup

“The complexity of all that the structure is trying to do with its slender columns and flying carpet blade roof system is accomplished in an end result that looks simple and clean as if anyone could do it, but they couldn’t.”

“The indirect lighting achieved through the “flying carpet” roof design is very dramatic. The reflectivity of the white concrete beams adds to the warm, indirect light of the galleries. Attention to detail, in the design and construction, complements the works of art which it will showcase.”

Award of Merit - University of Toronto – Leslie L. Dan School of Pharmacy

Halcrow Yolles

“The five story glass atrium tribute to previous greenhouses with the floating pods would have been challenging enough but the seven story lab topping made this structural design uniquely challenging and in the end beautifully executed.”

“The “pods” are unique sculptural elements which required creativity and ingenuity to hang transparently. Interesting solutions that appear well thought out.”

NATIONAL SKYSCRAPER DESIGN CHALLENGE

NO FEAR OF HEIGHTS!

Mock Firm Finalists Visit the "Bean" in Millennium Park

CHICAGO, MAY 2009 | For one weekend in May, the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) was the center of the tall-building universe. Fortunate patrons were treated to an exhibition from an advanced architectural studio for IIT students which focused on the design of a skyscraper for Mumbai, India sponsored by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Additionally, the finals of the inaugural Mock Firms National Skyscraper Challenge was also taking place in the ballroom of the McCormick Tribune Campus Center.

The Mock Architecture Firm Competition is an exciting and innovative opportunity for students interested in the design/build industry to test their skills in a uniquely collaborative environment and against peers on a national level. Students were asked to establish and organize their own firm consisting of a maximum of 4 principals (partners) and an unlimited number of student-employees. This year’s theme was “No Fear of Heights!” As the skyscraper has once again become a focal point of architectural conversation around the world, we challenged students to design and build an iconic structure to be located in the locale of their choice. The specific challenge was to carry-out their design concepts for a mixed-use tall-building through the use of drawings, models, illustrations, video and oral presentations to be judged by some of the country's top architects at a 2-day finals event hosted by the College of Architecture at IIT on the Southside of Chicago.

Stephen Yas AIA, Yas Architecture Listens Intently to an HOB Pitch

Eleven finalists with nine present competed for top honors after an initial selection back in February which was based on the quality of submitted sketches and building concepts. A total of 22 secondary and post-secondary institutions entered the 2-division competition from the East Coast to the West Coast. As contestants arrived by air, rail and roadway, they were introduced to the Chicago's best via a walking tour through Millennium Park, Lakeshore East, and River North with a stop-over for some Chicago-styled hotdogs at Portillo's an Barnelli's.

Ross Wimer AIA of SOM Critiques Cal-Poly's Project

Students arrived to set-up for judging on the second day of the event in an exhibition/display-type format. Students were then expected to present their prepared materials and "sell" their designs to each judge as they individually evaluated each project. Present in hand for the jury process was Martin Wolf FAIA, Senior Principal and Principal-in-Charge of Design for Solomon, Cordwell and Buenz, Ross Wimer AIA, Design Partner, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Stephen Yas AIA, RIBA President and Owner of Yas Architecture, LLC, Antony Wood, Executive Director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and Jan Klerks, Research & Communications Manager, CTBUH.

Martin Wolf FAIA, Principal at Solomon, Cordwell & Buenz

Offers a Few Pointers for the Boston Design Partnership

Upon entering, jury members were taken aback at the level of quality present in the projects submitted for judging. Among comments given were, "was that a mock firm or an actual firm?" and, "this is a great competition and more schools need to know about it." and finally, "I need to get my son and his school involved in this, this is great!" Most of the awe was directed at the high school entrants as they produced a level of work nearly mirroring their collegiate counterparts.

Antony Wood, Executive Director of the CTBUH Greets

the Dynamic Architecture Firm from South Carolina

The competitive weekend concluded with participants, teachers, family and friends gathering for an Awards Dinner at a downtown Chicago pizza establishment. Multiple awards and and top honors were presented to student firms at the back-end of the affair. In reflection of their overall experience, students themselves gave praise and recognition to the value of time-management learned, the satisfaction of seeing their completed projects, and the opportunity to receive professional and unbiased reviews from a jury top-shelf architects. The following is a list of finalists and honors achieved.