Chelsea Piers Connecticut, a 400,000ft2 adaptive reuse sports facility in Stamford, Conn., received recognition at the 2013 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel awards program (IDEAS2). The project team will be presented with awards from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) during a ceremony at the building. Chelsea Piers Connecticut is also the recipient of the competition’s Presidential Award of Excellence in Engineering, making it the only project in the country to receive this honour.
Conducted annually by AISC, the IDEAS2 awards recognise achievement in engineering and architecture on structural steel projects across the U.S. The IDEAS2 award recognises the importance of teamwork, coordination and collaboration in fostering successful construction projects. The awards presentation coincides with the U.S. national Steel Day.
The building housing this state-of-the-art sports facility is a 45-year-old manufacturing plant previously used by Clairol as the facility for manufacturing Herbal Essence shampoo. The adaptive reuse saved the old building from being demolished and ending up in a landfill; Clairol maintained the building well, keeping it in excellent condition.
“Great innovation and an adaptive reuse of an abandoned space. An idea that can be replicated,” commented Mark Simonides, vice president and operations manager for Turner Construction’s Great Lakes Region, and a judge in the competition.