Charlotte Fernández
UKIMEA Press Office,Leeds
Arup celebrated success at the prestigious IStructE (Institute of Structural Engineers) Awards 2014 with three major wins.
Arup took home first prize in three main categories, Sustainability, Arts and Entertainment structures, and Sports or Leisure structures.
Arup’s work on a suspension footbridge bridge in Rwanda, with not-for-profit organisation Bridges to Prosperity (B2P), was awarded the top Sustainability prize and was commended in the Pedestrian Bridge category. The bridge was engineered and built by Arup volunteers using Arup’s pioneering ‘BridgeTOOL’ software and was recognised by the judges as an ‘excellent example of the structural engineers providing their expertise in order to truly contribute and transform people’s lives’.
The Reid Building, located opposite the world renowned Mackintosh Building, for the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) achieved critical acclaim and was the winner of the Arts and Entertainment Structures category. It was also shortlisted for the Education or Healthcare Structures category. Arup worked with New York-based Steven Holl Architects on the stunning £50m purpose-built academic facility and provided a wide range of engineering and consultancy services on the project.
Australian cricket ground project, the Adelaide Oval Redevelopment was also the recipient of the main prize in the Sports or Leisure structures category. The A$50m redevelopment transformed the existing facility into a world-class stadium and increased capacity from 34,000 to 52,000. Arup’s structural, civil, fire and façade specialists worked to ensure the heritage and culture of the original ground was maintained, while enhancing atmosphere and spectator experience.
A further three of Arup’s projects were also shortlisted - the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Melbourne Star Observation Wheel Rectification Design – and the full list of projects is available on the IStructE website.
The IStructE Awards were established in 1968 and celebrate the best of global structural design and engineering. As the industry’s most prestigious awards, the IStructE Awards showcase the contribution of engineers to the built environment and the progression of the industry as a whole.