The Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Competition takes place each year to recognize creative achievement in structural engineering via innovative structural designs and individual contributions that advance the profession. 

Purpose

To recognize creative achievement in structural engineering via innovative structural designs and individual contributions that advance the profession.

Eligibility

Projects completed since January 1, 2020 are eligible. Projects must be completed or under construction as of January 1, 2023. Incomplete projects must be sufficiently complete to clearly show the basic design of the structural system. For this awards program, “design” may refer to the overall structure or an element that performs a key function within the completed structure. Any type or size of project may be entered, including new projects, renovations, preservation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse projects. The project need not be located in Illinois, but at least one member of the design team, or a principal of the firm responsible for the entry, shall be a member of SEAOI. Submitting an application for membership with an entry will satisfy this requirement. For entries in the Best Neighboring State category, at least one member of the design team, or a principal of the firm responsible for the entry, shall be a member of a neighboring state Structural Engineers Association.

Categories of Awards

Awards will be presented for the following:

• Juror’s Favorite/Most Innovative Structure
• Best Bridge/Transportation Project
• Best Industrial /Utility Project
• Best Renovation/Retrofit/Preservation Project
• Best Special Structure
• Best Project – over $150 million
• Best Project – $50 million up to $150 million
• Best Project – $10 million up to $50 million
• Best Project – up to $10 million
• Lavicka Award – Small Firm (less than 10 FT employees)
• Best Neighboring State Project – designer located in a state neighboring Illinois
  

Project categories apply to total construction costs. The bridge/transportation category applies to any size of bridge; however, entries can be also submitted in individual cost categories. The winner of the Jurors’ Favorite/Most Innovative will be selected from entries in all categories.

One project will be selected to receive the Juror’s Favorite/Most Innovative Structure award. A project selected in this category, however, will not simultaneously be selected in one of the Best Project categories. Similarly, projects awarded the Best Bridge/Transportation and Best Renovation/Retrofit/Preservation Projects will not simultaneously be selected in one of the categories classified by construction cost. Finalists will be selected to make presentations at the SEAOI dinner meeting in May. One finalist will be selected to win each category of award. Finalists not selected as Juror’s Favorite/Most Innovative Structure or Best Project will receive Awards of Merit.

SEAOI and the Judging Panel reserve the right to withhold an award in a particular category should no entry be deemed worthy.

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners!

Lavicka Award

Beppe
Restaurant
Royal Oak, MI

Three Pillar Structural Engineering Group

Best Project - up to $10 Million

SOS Children's Villages Roosevelt Square Community Center
Chicago, IL

TGRWA

Best Renovation/Retrofit/Preservation Project

St. Francis Downtown Tower Modernization
Greenville, SC

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.

Best Project - $10 Million to $50 Million

The Salt Shed
Chicago, IL

FOREFRONT Structural Engineers, Inc.

Trinity University Dicke Hall
San Antonio, TX

Datum Engineers

Best Bridge/Transportation Project

Central Tri-State Tollway (1-294) Mile Long Bridge
Willow Springs, IL

Lochner/HDR/Quigg Engineering

Best Project - $50 Million to $150 Million

UIUC Campus Instructional Facility
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Best Project - over $150 Million

Nashville International Airport Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility Addition
Nashville, TN

Magnusson Klemencic Associates

Jurors' Favorite/Most Innovative Structure

Ascent
Milwaukee, WI

Thornton Tomasetti

Congratulations to the 2023 Finalists!

• Alcove – 900 Church, DeSimone Consulting Engineers
• Allegheny Health Network - Wexford Hospital, HKS Inc.
• Allegiant Stadium, Arup
• Beppe Restaurant, Three Pillars Structural Engineering Group
• Central Tri-State Tollway (1-294) Mile Long Bridge, Lochner/HDR/Quigg Engineering
• College of Lake County Student Center, IMEG Corp.
• Ko'ula, BASE
• Nashville International Airport Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility Addition, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
• North Austin Community Center, Forefront Structural Engineers, Inc.
• Northwestern Medicine Galter-Feinberg Connector, SmithGroup
• O’Hare International Airport Elevate Parking Structure Repairs, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
• Seattle House, Cary Kopczynski & Company
• SOS Children's Villages Roosevelt Square Community Center, TGRWA
• St. Francis Downtown, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
• The Ascent, Thornton Tomasetti
• The Salt Shed, Forefront Structural Engineers, Inc.
• Third Avenue Bridge, HNTB
• Trinity University Dicke Hall, Datum Engineers
• UIUC Campus Instructional Facility, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
  

2024 Judges

Structural Engineering

David Horos, SE, PE, LEED AP
Past President, SEAOI

Academia

Francisco J. Rodríguez-Suárez, FAIA
Director, University of Illinois School of Architecture

Architecture

Lynda A Dossey, AIA LEED AP
Director, Jahn Architects

Media

Geoff Weisenberger
Editor and Publisher - Modern Steel Construction, AISC

Construction/
Development 

Greg Leofanti

Vice President, Project Director, Pepper Construction

Government

Hal Hutchinson
City of Chicago