SSDA 2018
Introduction
By Christopher Nash RIBA – Chairman of the Judging panel.
This year, as new chairman of the panel, I am very pleased to see a judging team
rejuvenated by the introduction of Julia Ratcliffe and Sarah Pellereau from
engineering design consultancies and of Paul Hulme from the steel fabrication
industry. The panel is sharpened by the introduction of this new talent. I think
I can speak for all members of the panel when I say that we always bring enthusiasm
and enjoyment to the job, as well as fair-minded dispassionate judgement, and this
year has been no exception.
Again there has been a pleasing increase in the overall number of entries to the
scheme.
Scales of entry range from the largest civil engineering and transport projects,
through prestige city office buildings, to smaller community and public buildings and
sculptures. While there are fewer residential projects this year, we see an increase in
office buildings of high quality and a welcome return of top end industrial building.
As in previous years a preliminary selection was made on the basis of a close
examination of the entry documents. The resultant shortlist of schemes were all then
notified and each visited by at least two judges from different disciplines.
At this point I’d like to pass my thanks to the hosting teams who went out of their
way to be present to answer the judges detailed questions. Unlike some other award
schemes, we believe it is essential to get down close and personal with the entered
projects before making our final assessments. The project teams’ demonstration of
collaboration always comes through and is a major part in our assessment of the entry.
There are jaw-dropping achievements here, and beautiful gems. I believe everyone
involved in the steel construction industry should be proud of what has been
achieved, and I trust that the Structural Steel Design Awards reflect the quality of the
achievement.
NSC 13
October 18
/Multi-storey_office_buildings
/Residential_and_mixed-use_buildings
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings