MCA Announces Winners of Metal Construction Design Awards

The Metal Construction Association (MCA) Design Awards, previously known as The Chairman’s Awards, recognize member companies involved in the construction of outstanding building projects that use metal in significant and innovative ways. The 2023 Design Awards winners were featured at METALCON, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The panel of judges 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.

“When you want to showcase the possibilities and advantages of metal, these are the cutting edge, state-of-the-art examples,” said Brian Partyka, MCA’s Executive Committee Chair. “All of the entries we received are impressive, intelligent, and inspiring. And these are the best of the best.”

The categories and award recipients are:

Best Overall/Solar/Custom: Thirty75 Tech, Santa Clara, California

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 façade create a visual experience that attracts attention at first sight. Although the façade 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, Florida

Commemorating the generosity of Fred Ayres with a cost-efficient community playground was a unique challenge. The 4,500 square foot 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, North Carolina

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

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, California

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% 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, Nevada

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, New York

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.

For more information and details, visit: https://www.metalconstruction.org/index.php/events/design-awards/design-awards-2023