2023 Metal Construction Association Design Awards

by Stacy Rinella | December 7, 2023 11:33 am

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Metal building products bring tremendous value and importance to great design. During the METALCON trade show in Las Vegas this past October, the Metal Construction Association (MCA) presented the winners of the MCA Design Awards. The awards recognize MCA member companies who contributed products to award winning buildings in several categories. All of the winning projects used metal as a significant portion of the design.

The criteria for selecting the winning
projects were:

• Overall appearance
• Significance of metal in the project
• Innovative use of metal

The winning projects were selected by a panel of judges that included included Rick Harlan Schneider, FAIA, LEED, principal, ISTUDIO Architects; Paul Mankins FAIA, LEED AP, founder and consulting principal of substancearchitecture; and Steve Blye, AIA LEED AP BC+C, Director of Healthcare Design, Legat Architects. The group selected eight winners from submitted projects that highlight the use of metal to enhance the design of a building.

Best Overall/Solar/Custom: Thirty75 Tech, Santa Clara, Calif.

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The Judges were unanimous in awarding this project the top spot, citing the radiant work and spiritual feel it achieves. The metal louvres for the facade create a visual experience that attracts attention at first sight. Although the facade is static in construction, the metal louvres provide a dynamic experience based on the viewer’s position and daylight angle. The complexity of the louvers is not random and is based on performative needs to mitigate heat gain and glare in what otherwise is an all-glass structure. The project’s architect, Verse Design, said in a statement, “We are absolutely thrilled and honored that people routinely take selfies with the building as a backdrop.”

MCA member company: PPG Industries

Architect: Verse Design Los Angeles

Contractor: Truebeck Construction

Metal installer: AGA/AGS, Viking Steel, SME

Insulated Metal Panels: Fred Ayres Memorial Playground at Pineapple Park, Jensen Beach, Fla.

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Commemorating the generosity of Fred Ayres with a cost-efficient community playground was a unique challenge. The 418-m²
(4,500-sf) multi-age play area needed to meet the municipality’s
need for more green efficient commercial buildings. The use of a
pre-engineered metal building system allowed for a structure that,
in the words of the judges, is inviting, vibrant, and expressive.

 MCA member company: Kingspan | Metallic

Architect: Ahrens Companies

Contractor: Ahrens Companies

Metal Installer: Ahrens Companies

Metal Composite Material: North Carolina State University, Plant Sciences Building, Raleigh, N.C.

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Judges were impressed with the integration between the building and public space and the innovative use of curved metal in a design they described as “clean and elegant.” A variety of metal materials create an environment that is forward-looking and designed around sustainable materials to achieve LEED Gold certification.

MCA member company: 3A Composites USA

Architect: Flad Architects

Contractor: DPR Construction

Metal installer: SPS Corporation, BEES, Bonitz

Single-Skin Panels: Texas A&M Southside Recreational Center, College Station, Texas

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Single-skin metal panels were selected for this project to achieve a high-quality, distinct design filled with thoughtful details. The lower costs of the panels also allowed the campus to invest in additional outdoor amenities, including a terrace, two volleyball courts, and a turf area for fitness classes and functional training.

MCA member company: Carlisle Companies Incorporated,
Auzmet Architectural Incorporated

Architect: SmithGroup

Contractor: Manhattan Construction Group

Metal installer: Auzmet Architectural Incorporated

Residential Roof: 4 Way House, Topanga, Calif.

 

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The project’s name “4/Way House” was inspired by four “rotations” integrated into the home’s design. Sustainable zinc is used throughout the home, including the roofing, which offers a lifespan of 100 years or more and is 100 percent recyclable. Additionally, the metal roofing is inherently and effectively fire and corrosion resistant.

MCA member company: RHEINZINK

Architect: Deegan-Day Design & Architecture Incorporated

Contractor: Kent Snyder Construction

Metal installer: Atlas Sheet Metal

Commercial Roof

First Place: Katy Trail Ice House, Las Vegas, Nev

 

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The use of metal achieves a sense of luxury and sophistication for this Las Vegas “gastro-hub.” Metal was used in this design to create wide open spaces with strong foundations. The materials used allowed the construction team to create unique angles in the roof fulfilling the expectation of the design. Massive open ceilings provide customers and other tenants breathtaking views of the sunny Las Vegas skies. People enter a space filled with welcoming opulence.

MCA member company: Nucor Buildings Group and McElroy Metals

Architect: Gensler

Contractor: Burke Construction

Metal installer: Battle Born Steel

Commercial Roof

Second Place: Phoenix Sky Harbor Sky Train, Phoenix, Ariz.

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Judges were impressed by the simple and unique design, noting “the complexity of the geometry is outstanding.” Upgrading and modernizing the airport’s Sky Train with metal reinforces the aviation aesthetic while the low-maintenance advantages include self-cleaning attributes that ensure the roofs never give a dirty appearance. Aluminum gave the stations the durability to outlast most buildings’ life expectancy. With the modularity of the roof and fascia panels, panel replacement due to incidental impact is a straightforward and quick process. The Sky Train has helped to significantly reduce energy consumption to the car rental area.

MCA member company: Dura Coat Products

Architect: SmithGroup/Gannet Fleming

Contractor: Hensel Phelps

Metal installer: Kovach

Retrofit: SUNY Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y.

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Metal was chosen to give the campus an iconic look and fully improve the building’s thermal envelope. The ability to fabricate metal in different sizes and shapes allowed the realization of a design recalling a DNA mapping pattern to reflect the psychological research conducted within the building. Metal’s longevity and recyclability also contributed to its selection for this unique, innovative structure that has earned Silver LEED status.

MCA member company: 3A Composites USA

Architect: Ashley McGraw Associates

Metal installer: Gitzen Company, Inc.

 

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/features/2023-metal-construction-association-design-awards/

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