2023 Winners
Winners of the 2023 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards
ACI recognized 15 winners at the 2023 ACI Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards during the ACI Concrete Convention on October 30, 2023.
Overall “Excellence” Award Winner/First Place – Repair and Restoration
Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney, Australia. Located in the Central Business District of Sydney, Australia, Quay Quarter Tower (QQT) is the world’s tallest adaptive reuse project. The project involved the redevelopment of a 45-year-old reinforced concrete building with partial demolition and the addition of new structures—both vertically and horizontally. The new upcycled tower is a 216 m (709 ft) tall building with a hybrid structure consisting of the existing and new structural elements and an extended service life until 2070. The QQT project overcame unprecedented challenges through several innovative structural solutions that set a new global standard for the effective conservation and building lifetime extension of tall concrete buildings. QQT is the world’s first example of the adaptive reuse of a concrete skyscraper through a design and construction procedure that integrated rigorous condition assessment and structural adequacy verification.
Project Team Members: Owner: AMP Capital; Engineering Firms: BG&E Pty Ltd, ADG Engineers Pty Ltd, Kasina Consultants Pty Ltd; General Contractor: Multiplex Construction; Concrete Contractor: De Martin and Gasparini; Concrete Supplier: Boral Limited.
Nominator: Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA)
Second Place – Repair and Restoration
University of British Columbia MacLeod Engineering Building Renewal, Vancouver Campus, Musqueam Traditional Territory, Vancouver, BC, Canada. This major renewal project is home to the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The project transforms a poorly performing, existing 1963 building nearing the end of its service life into a showcase of twenty-first century learning space, sustainability, and seismic resilience. Concrete is the primary building material for seismic upgrades that exceed building code requirements. Introducing micropiles reduced the footprint of new foundations, while 1 m (3.3 ft) deep concrete shear walls resisted in-plane lateral forces. The strategy used shotcrete to place the new concrete walls and used the existing walls as a single side form.
Project Team Members: Owner: The University of British Columbia; Architecture: Design Architect: Teeple Architects; Architect of Record: Proscenium Architecture + Interiors; Engineering Firms: Structural: Weiler Smith Bowers Consulting Engineers; Mechanical: AME Group; Electrical: Applied Engineering Solutions; General and Concrete Contractor: Heatherbrae Builders; Concrete Supplier: Con-Force Structures Ltd.
Nominator: Self-Nomination, Teeple Architects and Proscenium Architecture + Interiors
First Place – Low-Rise Structures
Bou You Rou, Sakai-shi, Fukui, Japan. Found in Sakai-shi, Fukui, Japan, is the Bou You Rou. Although Japan is surrounded by the sea and it has few maritime-themed architectural traditions. This ryokan can be considered “architecture of ocean,” as it was built on a cliff facing the west of the Sea of Japan. There are many difficulties in designing “architecture of ocean,” such as material selection, constructability, and various legal restrictions. As a luxury hotel built in a coastal environment with a high airborne chloride content, this building was required to have not only soundproofing performance design but also durability and reduced maintenance.
Project Team Members:Owner: Dai-ichi Bou You Rou; Architectural Firm: kousou Inc.; Engineering Firm: KAP Co., Ltd.; General and Concrete Contractor: Tanaka Kensetsu Co., Ltd.; Concrete Supplier: Teramae Namacon Co., Ltd.; Monitoring System: Just.will Co., Ltd.; Mechanical Design: Akeno Facility Resilience Inc.; Interior Design: SH Architect & Design; Additional Participants: ZENNAMA; Japan Concrete Admixture Association and Dr. Atsushi Tomoyose
Second Place – Low-Rise Structures
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad; Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, and Management Building; Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Located in Hyderabad, India, and residing at the Indian Institute of Technology is the Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, and Management Building. The exterior and part of the common areas include form-finish concrete walls that were constructed using self-consolidating concrete for the exposed surfaces. The building has a unique, DNA-shaped footprint with two elliptical staircases in the X crossing of the “molecule.” The external elevations include slanted precast panels and cast-in-place elements with an exposed finish. Each of the building’s three floors has its own architectural features, such as curved walls, slanting walls, radial beams, stepped slabs, circular slabs, and elliptical staircases.
Project Team Members: Owner: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad; Architectural Firm: ARCOP Associate Pvt. Ltd.; Engineering Firm: Tata Consulting Engineers Limited; General and Concrete Contractor: L&T Construction B&F IC; Concrete Supplier: L&T Construction B&F IC.
Nominator: ACI India Chapter
First Place – Mid-Rise Structures
Centro Cívico Universitario – Bloque Rgd (University Civic Center), Cundinamarca, Bogotá, Colombia. Located in Bogotá Colombia and in the heart of Universidad de los Andes is the Centro Civico Universitario. The building obtained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification Gold Version 4 in January 2022. Metal formwork was used, accompanied by exhaustive modulation work. The decision to use self-leveling concrete and avoid the use of vibrators allowed for an elegant and subdued finish throughout the building.
Project Team Members: Owner: Universidad de los Andes; Architectural Firms: Konrad Brunner Arquitectos and Undurraga Devés Arquitectos (Joint Venture); Engineering Firm: Arpro Arquitectos Ingenieros S.A.; General Contractor: Arpro Arquitectos Ingenieros S.A.; Concrete Contractor and Supplier: Grupo Argos.
Nominator: ACI Republic of Colombia Chapter
Second Place – Mid-Rise Structures
University of California San Francisco Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building, San Francisco, CA, USA. Found on the campus of the University of California San Francisco is the Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building. UCSF turned to a developer-led Public-Private Partnership (P3) delivery process to devise a high-performing seismic solution using concrete to protect the facility for future generations. The structure rises five stories over a basement level and includes a central atrium and meditative roof deck. Special reinforced concrete shear walls brace the building against wind and seismic forces. The concrete structural solution used green concrete mixtures for a significant reduction in the overall embodied carbon of the structure.
Project Team Members: Owner: UCSF Real Estate; Architectural Firms: Perkins&Will, Pfau Long Architecture, Ltd., and ZGF Architects LLP; Engineering Firm: Tipping Structural Engineers; General Contractor: Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company.
Nominator: Self-Nomination, Leo Panian
First Place – High-Rise Structures
Salesforce Tower Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. The Salesforce Tower in Chicago is a 57-story skyscraper that stands at a height of 1119 ft (341 m). The tower’s design uses concrete construction and new concrete technologies in several unique ways. The concrete used in the construction of the tower was specifically designed for durability and longevity. Concrete played a crucial role in providing structural support, durability, and aesthetic appeal to the Salesforce Tower. This was the first high-rise on the Chicago skyline to fully use portland-limestone cement. The use of this type of concrete reduces environmental impacts.
Project Team Members: Owners: Hines, the Kennedy Family, and AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust Corporation; Architectural Firms: Pelli Clarke & Partners; Engineering Firm: Magnusson Klemencic Associates; General Contractor: Walsh Construction; Concrete Supplier: Prairie Materials.
Nominator: ACI Illinois Chapter
Second Place – High-Rise Structures
The Reed at Southbank, Chicago, IL, USA. The Reed at Southbank is the first high-rise in Chicago built with a new low-carbon concrete mixture, replacing up to 30 to 70% of portland cement with slag cement. The Reed is a 41-story cast-in-place concrete structure with exposed concrete ceilings and columns throughout. A proprietary low-carbon concrete mixture and an extensive wind screen protection system was used for the project, along with a unique material delivery by barge. The windscreens were prefabricated by Doka off site, barged down the Chicago River, picked up, and immediately assembled along the building.
Project Team Members: Owner: Lendlease Development; Architectural Firm: Perkins&Will; Engineering Firm: Magnusson Klemencic Associates; General Contractor: Lendlease (US) Construction; Concrete Contractor: McHugh Concrete Construction, Inc.; Concrete Supplier: Oremus Material; Concrete Mixture Consultant: Master Builders Solutions; Slag Cement Provider: Skyway Slag Cement.
Nominator: Self-Nomination, Meghan McLean
First Place – Decorative Concrete
North Bend Torguson Skatepark, North Bend, WA, USA. Grindline collaborated with the the North Bend community in Washington to design a nearly 13,000 ft² (1200 m²) concrete skatepark outfitted with exciting elements for all skill levels, as well as a central gathering area. The park consists of a one-of-a-kind flow bowl, a pool-style bowl, and a large street skate area. The ready mixed concrete of the skatepark was applied with the shotcrete method to achieve the smooth flowing transitions, curves, and blends that were required by the design. The concrete and shotcrete were finished by hand troweling to a buttery smooth finish.
Project Team Members: Owner: Si View Metropolitan Park District; Architectural Firm: Grindline Skateparks, Inc.; Engineering Firm: MacKay Sposito; General and Concrete Contractor: Grindline Skateparks, Inc.; Concrete Supplier: Cadman Inc..
Nominator: ACI Washington Chapter
Second Place – Decorative Concrete
Block G-1, Tampa, FL, USA. Block G-1 is WELL Gold Certified Building and has a strong focus on wellness and sustainability. This 20-story workplace connects its occupants with nature through biophilic design, a strategy to support the health and well-being of occupants by bringing natural experiences to the constructed environment. The building’s façade consists of prefabricated, architectural precast concrete with an integral curtainwall. Off-site production of the precast cladding allowed precise control over aesthetic details.
Project Team Members: Owner: Strategic Property Partners, LLC; Architectural Firms: COOKFOX Architects, DPC, and HOK Group, Inc.; Engineering Firm: DeSimone Consulting Engineering; General Contractor: Coastal Construction; Concrete Contractor: STABIL Concrete Products, LLC; Structural Engineering Firm: J & M Structural Engineers.
Nominator: ACI Florida Suncoast Chapter
First Place – Infrastructure
I-74 Mississippi River Bridge, Bettendorf, IA, USA. Crossing over the Mississippi River and portions of the Cities of Bettendorf (IA) and Moline (IL) is the 7600 ft (2315 m) bridge carrying Interstate 74. The landmark features twin arch bridges over the main channel. Designed as true arches, the structures each span 795 ft (242 m) and carry 72 ft (22 m) width of roadway deck. The arch ribs incline toward bridge centerline, meeting in the middle in basket handle form, at a crest of more than 240 ft (73 m) above the river level. True arches generate immense thrust forces at their bases, and monumental concrete substructures were required to compensate for the elegantly minimalist superstructures.
Project Team Members: Co-Owners: Iowa Department of Transportation, Illinois Department of Transportation; Architectural Firm: Rosales + Partners (Bridge Architect); Engineering Firms: Benesch (Overall Corridor Manager & Design Lead) and Modjeski and Masters (Design Lead for Arch Superstructure); River Bridge General Contractor and Concrete Contractor: Lunda Construction Co.; Concrete Supplier: Hahn Ready Mix.
Nominator: ACI Iowa Chapter
Second Place – Infrastructure
Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project, Los Angeles, CA, USA. The Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering’s Sixth Street Viaduct is a cast-in-place, concrete network tied arch that sets a new threshold for seismic safety and expands the utility of urban bridges. Ten pairs of graceful canted concrete arches flow seamlessly into supporting Y-shaped concrete bents. The project used 30 to 35% supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) made from 100% recycled slag cement or fly ash as a portland cement replacement. Use of SCMs reduced the structure’s carbon footprint by as much as 30%.
Project Team Members: Owner: City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering; Architectural Firm: Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc.; Engineering Firm: HNTB Corporation; General and Concrete Contractor: Skanska-Stacy and Witbeck (Joint Venture); Concrete Supplier: CEMEX; Construction Management: T.Y. Lin International Group.
Nominator: ACI Southern California Chapter
First Place – Flatwork
Mountain Pass Lodge and Sliding Sports Facility, Lake Placid, NY, USA. Mountain Pass Lodge at Mt. Van Hoevenberg is a sliding sports facility in Lake Placid, NY. The initial design for the push track called for precast concrete for the sliding track. Pike’s concrete crew was brought in to work alongside the project team, including an ice surface consultant and a bobsled/push track expert. To meet the construction schedule and avoid cold weather concrete placements, the push track was formed and placed inside the already constructed lodge. The team worked directly with a surveyor to scan and ensure the track formwork maintained a smooth curve.
Project Team Members: Owner: Olympic Regional Development Authority; Architectural Firm: QPK Design, LLP; Engineering Firm: John P. Stopen Engineering; General Contractor: Pike Construction Services; Concrete Contractor: Pike Construction Services (Structural Services); Concrete Supplier: Upstone Materials, Inc.; Placed Concrete: DJ Rossetti Inc.; Admixture Supplier: GCP Applied Technologies.
Nominator: ACI Eastern New York Chapter
Second Place – Flatwork
11601 Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 11601 Wilshire was an extensive site renovation to a 24-story office building in West Los Angeles, CA. Trademark Concrete Systems provided the exterior decorative concrete work surrounding the building, including 1300 ft (400 m) of cast-in-place planter walls and over 7000 ft² (650 m²) of honed seeded aggregate paving. Because cracking is a concern with decorative concrete, Trademark used a 3000 psi (21 MPa) “blend mixture,” consisting of 50% pea gravel and 50% 1 in. (25 mm) aggregate with a shrinkage-reducing admixture. Trademark’s crews manually broadcast white granite into the top surface of the flatwork paving and later honed the top layer to expose the white aggregate.
Project Team Members: Owner: Hudson Pacific Properties; Architectural Firm: RIOS; Engineering Firm: Glotman Simpson U.S. Inc.; General Contractor: TIS Construction Services, Inc.; Concrete Contractor: Trademark Concrete Systems, Inc.; Concrete Supplier: Catalina Pacific Concrete .
Nominator: ACI Southern California Chapter
Honorable Mention – Flatwork
Bi-State Development Concrete Overlays, St. Louis, MO, USA. The asphalt parking lots at three Metro Transit Centers on the University of Missouri Saint Louis South campus, Rock Road, and Wellston were improved using a 4 in. (100 mm) thick macro-fiber-reinforced concrete pavement overlay. The new surfaces enhanced the surface reflectivity of the parking areas, resulting in better visibility with no need for additional fixtures. The carbon footprint for this project was reduced by using the existing asphalt as a base material, which reduced the need for hauling away existing materials by over 90% and better stabilized the new concrete overlay pavement.
Project Team Members: Owner: Metro Bi-State Development; Engineering Firm: Concrete Council of St Louis/All Civil Engineering, LLC; General Contractor: Raineri Construction LLC; Concrete Supplier: Western Ready-Mix, Inc.
Nominator: ACI Missouri Chapter