2016 CISC National Steel Design Awards celebrate excellence in steel construction

The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) announced the winners of the biennial CISC National Steel Design Awards of Excellence in Toronto last week. The Awards were the culmination of a two-year competition that brought together regional winners from across the country in four award categories:  Architectural, Engineering, Sustainability and Bridges.

The winners of the 2016 CISC National Steel Design Awards of Excellence are:

1.     Engineering: Queen Richmond Centre, Ontario

The Queen Richmond Centre West project emerges in Toronto as a development with an innovative structural solution. The team—Sweeny & Co. Architects, Stephenson Engineering Ltd., Walters Group Inc., and Cast Connex—explored and developed an incredible building design while maintaining a collaborative, mutually agreeable approach. The result is a complex with three buildings organized around a large C-shaped atrium fronting on both Richmond and Peter Streets. The custom-designed Mega Delta Frames meet at the nodes, and spring apart, creating three seamless, monolithic forms. This project demonstrates how a structurally superior and innovative solution contributed to the success and elegance of a building.

Queen Richmond Centre, Ontario

Project Team
• Owner: Allied Properties REIT
• Architect: Sweeny & Co. Architects Inc.
• Structural Engineer: Stephenson Engineering Limited
• Project Manager / General Contractor: Eastern Construction
• Fabricator: Walters Group Inc. / CASTCONNEX
• Detailer and Erector: Walters Group Inc.

2.     Architectural: Cogeco Amphitheatre, Quebec

Structurally, the choice of a metal structure is imposed due to volumetric singularities and spans the roof. The coveted lightness and speed of execution have been important factors in the choice of material. The structure of steel columns is exposed as a visible surface.

Cogeco Amphitheatre, Quebec

Project Team
• Owner: City of Three Rivers, Quebec 
• Architect: Paul Laurendeau/ Francois Beauchesne / Consortium of Architects 
• Engineer: Stantec / DPHV 
• Fabricator: Canam-Buildings, a division of Canam Group 
• Detailer: Genifab
• Erector: Montacier

3.     Sustainability: Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Alberta

The Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre is a world-class facility built through a partnership between the City of Camrose, County of Camrose, Province of Alberta, and University of Alberta. The Centre was designed with a focus on sustainability, collaboration between all stakeholders, and community development.

Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Alberta

Project Team
• Architect: BR2 
• Structural Engineer: Read Jones Christoffersen 
• General Contractor: Clark Builders 
• Fabricator: Whitemud IW and Canam Group

4.     Bridges:  Strandherd Armstrong Bridge, Ontario

The Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge, located south of Ottawa, has a total length of 143 metres. The arches rise to 21 metres above the roadway and have a 125-metre opening. Steel made this exceptional structure possible. Without the structure’s relative lightness, launching would not have been possible, resulting in obvious environmental consequences. Without the strength of the material and its flexible use, such a transparent and aerial work could not have been envisioned. The environmental objectives, respect for this heritage site, and of course traffic improvement, were achieved and undoubtedly even exceeded.

Strandherd Armstrong Bridge, Ontario

Project Team
• Bridge Owner: City of Ottawa
• Erection/Construction Engineers, PSS Cable Specialists, Bridge Specialist Quality Assurance Engineer: Harbourside Engineering Consultants 
• Bridge Designer: Parsons (formerly Delcan) 
• General Contractor: Horseshoe Hill Construction 
• Steel Erector: Montacier International 
• Steel Fabricator: Cherubini Metal Works 
• Steel Detailer: Tenca Steel Detailing 
• PSS Cable Supplier: Freyssinet International