The Structural Steel Design Awards are once again showing the strength and depth of excellent steel construction projects being successfully delivered up and down the UK and Ireland, and you can read all about them in our special SSDA section in this issue. The varied projects earning Awards this year include bridges, sports and education facilities, a sculptural frame exhibiting ‘supercars’, and a major City development.
Six earned the supreme Award accolade out of a shortlist of 21. The Awards have been running for 57 years now and are one of the most highly regarded recognitions that a construction team has been involved in something that is a bit special, setting it apart from other projects that might also justify being regarded as excellent.
Why are the Awards so keenly pursued after 57 years? Partly no doubt it is because construction team members of all the entrants that have reached the shortlists over the years know how hard it is to get such outstanding projects designed and constructed to this sort of standard – many otherwise first rate projects don’t manage to make the Award by the finest of margins. The SSDA endorsement means they can be confident that they are standing in the finest company, so are understandably keen to be seen there.
A rigorous approach from a team of judges that includes architects, civil and structural engineers, and steelwork contractors, is another large part of what accounts for the success of the awards over more than half a century. The description from Chairman of the Judging Panel Roger Plank of the judging process in our special SSDA section gives the flavour of what is involved in judging the SSDA entries.
It is probably the toughest, most exhaustive analysis of entrants of all the construction industry awards. What other awards can boast that judges will actually visit sites and construction team offices to put the projects under what must feel like a harsh spotlight? Judges, Award winners, team members of the projects earning Commendations and Merits and the others who made the National Finalists shortlist share enthusiasm for their involvement.
As Judging Panel Chair Roger Plank, said: “These awards are a fantastic platform for the industry to showcase excellence and diversity in the use of structural steel and it is, in reality, a privilege as a judge to learn more about projects of such quality.”
Criteria including sustainability, innovation, smart working, problem-solving and community benefit are seen by the judges as equally relevant as appearance and scale. BCSA President Chris Durand gave a strong pointer to how to be an SSDA success in his address to the Awards ceremony when he said he suspected that many of the successful schemes had benefitted from the early involvement of the steelwork contractor. New building safety regulations that are being embraced by the industry mean project designs will have to be developed prior to the construction phase, and this will demand the greater involvement that early engagement can deliver.
Fittingly, the Award ceremony was held – for the first time – in a previous Award winner, at Landing Forty Two of the City’s 48-storey Leadenhall Building, popularly called the Cheesegrater, so those attending the evening awards ceremony could see for themselves that the SSDA selects outstanding structures. If there were an Award for Awards, the SSDA would surely be a winner!
SSDA shows why it is a leader among industry accolades
The Structural Steel Design Awards are once again showing the strength and depth of excellent steel construction projects being successfully delivered up and down the UK and Ireland, and you can read all about them in our special SSDA section in this issue. The varied projects earning Awards this year include bridges, sports and education facilities, a sculptural frame exhibiting ‘supercars’, and a major City development.
Six earned the supreme Award accolade out of a shortlist of 21. The Awards have been running for 57 years now and are one of the most highly regarded recognitions that a construction team has been involved in something that is a bit special, setting it apart from other projects that might also justify being regarded as excellent.
Why are the Awards so keenly pursued after 57 years? Partly no doubt it is because construction team members of all the entrants that have reached the shortlists over the years know how hard it is to get such outstanding projects designed and constructed to this sort of standard – many otherwise first rate projects don’t manage to make the Award by the finest of margins. The SSDA endorsement means they can be confident that they are standing in the finest company, so are understandably keen to be seen there.
A rigorous approach from a team of judges that includes architects, civil and structural engineers, and steelwork contractors, is another large part of what accounts for the success of the awards over more than half a century. The description from Chairman of the Judging Panel Roger Plank of the judging process in our special SSDA section gives the flavour of what is involved in judging the SSDA entries.
It is probably the toughest, most exhaustive analysis of entrants of all the construction industry awards. What other awards can boast that judges will actually visit sites and construction team offices to put the projects under what must feel like a harsh spotlight? Judges, Award winners, team members of the projects earning Commendations and Merits and the others who made the National Finalists shortlist share enthusiasm for their involvement.
As Judging Panel Chair Roger Plank, said: “These awards are a fantastic platform for the industry to showcase excellence and diversity in the use of structural steel and it is, in reality, a privilege as a judge to learn more about projects of such quality.”
Criteria including sustainability, innovation, smart working, problem-solving and community benefit are seen by the judges as equally relevant as appearance and scale. BCSA President Chris Durand gave a strong pointer to how to be an SSDA success in his address to the Awards ceremony when he said he suspected that many of the successful schemes had benefitted from the early involvement of the steelwork contractor. New building safety regulations that are being embraced by the industry mean project designs will have to be developed prior to the construction phase, and this will demand the greater involvement that early engagement can deliver.
Fittingly, the Award ceremony was held – for the first time – in a previous Award winner, at Landing Forty Two of the City’s 48-storey Leadenhall Building, popularly called the Cheesegrater, so those attending the evening awards ceremony could see for themselves that the SSDA selects outstanding structures. If there were an Award for Awards, the SSDA would surely be a winner!