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| Baker Concrete Construction, Ft. Lauderdale took first place in Architectural Concrete, Over 5000 SF for USF Polytechnic 555 Building, Lakeland, Fla. (above). |
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| Bulach Custom Rock of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., took second place in Vertical Application, Under 5000 SF for Scheels Shopping Mall. |
The Decorative Concrete Council has announced the winners of its eighth annual Decorative Concrete Awards competition. Awards were presented to 27 projects in cast-in-place stamped, stained or special finish, polished, overlay, vertical application, architectural concrete and artistry categories. A specialty council of the American Society of Concrete Contractors, DCC announced the winners last month at World of Concrete 2016 in Las Vegas.
The University of South Florida (USF) Polytechnic 555 Building, Lakeland, Fla., by Baker Concrete Construction of Ft. Lauderdale, won the WOW! Award for best overall project. The innovative design includes an elliptical-shaped structure highlighted with 16 exposed concrete raker portals. The two main entrances begin with perimeter architectural concrete columns connecting to the raker portals, which support the roof and tie into an oval concrete skylight that illuminates the grand entry polished concrete stairs.
The main building has 142 column portals spaced at 8 feet on center in a curving layout, framing the endless hallway and supporting the second story of the building’s perimeter. The shape of these portals required triangular bracing between two columns, using self-consolidating concrete to monolithically pour. After column construction, the second-level elevated beams and slabs were completed and followed by polished concrete ground floor slabs.