The judges will consider the project's use of structural steel from both an architectural and structural engineering perspective, with an emphasis on:

• Creative solutions to the project's program requirements
• Application of innovative design approaches in areas such as connections, gravity systems, lateral load resisting systems, fire protection, and blast resistance
• Aesthetic and visual impact of the project, particularly in the coordination of structural steel elements with other materials
• Innovative uses of architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS)
• Advances in the use of structural steel either technically or in architectural expression
• Use of innovative design and construction methods such as 3D building models, interoperability, early integration of specialty contractors such as steel fabricators, alternative methods of project delivery, or other productivity enhancements
• Sustainable design
  
  

National and Merit awards, recognition for non-building structures, and the Presidential Award of Excellence are bestowed at the judges' discretion. AISC will announce the winners early in 2020, and projects selected for recognition will appear in a showcase at the 2020 NASCC: The Steel Conference in Atlanta, April 22-24. Winning projects will also be featured in the May 2020 issue of Modern Steel Construction magazine. AISC will present the physical award at the project site.

Who Can Enter

• Any member of a project's team can submit it for an IDEAS² award.
• New buildings, expansions, and renovation projects (major retrofits and rehabilitations) are eligible.
• Building projects in the 2020 competition must be located in the U.S. and must be completed between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2019.
• A significant portion of the framing system of a building must be wide-flange or hollow structural steel sections (HSS).
• The majority of the steel used in the project must be domestically produced. 
• The project must have been fabricated by a company eligible for AISC full membership. Projects with a unique or distinctive feature fabricated by a company eligible for AISC full membership will also be considered.
• Pedestrian bridges entered in the competition must be an intrinsic part of a building and not stand-alone structures. If you would like to submit a bridge project, we encourage you to enter the National Steel Bridge Alliance's Prize Bridge Awards.

How to Enter

• Complete the online entry form
• Upload a project description (more information follows)
• Upload high-resolution photographs and drawings of the project as detailed below. You must include photo credit information, and you must accept the AISC photo policy to submit your entry

There is no fee to enter the competition.

In 500 to 1,000 words, describe the following cases that may apply to your project:

• Innovative uses of architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS) and aesthetic impact of the project, particularly in the coordination of structural steel elements with other materials
• Advancements in the use of structural steel, either technically or in architectural expression
• Applications of innovative design approaches in areas such as connections, gravity systems, lateral load resisting systems, fire protection, and blast protection
• The use of innovative design and construction methods such as 3D building models, interoperability, early integration of steel fabricators, modular or prefab design, alternative methods of project delivery, and sustainability or resiliency considerations
• Implementation of new and evolving principles and tools that drive the progression of modern design and project planning, such as data-driven design and the use of technology such as drones, VR, and AR for design and construction review
  
  

The written description and the images you submit should give the judges a sound understanding of the general characteristics of your project and the specific way in which it demonstrates design excellence.

The description should not repeat what is already clear from the graphic submission but it should include project intentions—program requirements, site features, cost data, etc.

Print-quality photographs and graphics should show off your project and provide an adequate basis for a sound and comprehensive evaluation of the structure and its design.

Images are mandatory, but there are no specific requirements as to what they depict. AISC suggests that a selection of exterior, interior and steel construction images—all with photo credit information—accompany each entry.

A thorough image submission for a given project would include:

• At least one image showing each exposed side of the building or environment
• At least one additional image showing the immediate context of each exposed side of the building or environs (omit if the project's relationship to its environs is clearly defined in other images)
• For a group of buildings, at least one image of the project that is sufficient to illustrate the concept and scale, including its relationship to its environs
• For projects involving exterior alterations, at least one image of each altered (exposed side) together with at least one image of the side before alteration (unless evidence is submitted on the unavailability of the latter)
• A site plan, floor plan, and one or more sections that explain the project solution

Technical details:

• Images should be high-resolution (at least 300 dpi), at least four inches wide, and submitted as jpeg, tiff or eps files.
• Images can depict the construction and erection processes as well as the finished project.
• You may submit a total of 20 images per entry.
• All images must include credit information in the filename. (Example: Willis Tower exterior-creditJohnSmith.jpg)
• Submitted photographs and images used for exhibition or publication purposes will bear the customary photograph credit line, provided, however, AISC is not responsible for errors or omissions. AISC reserves the right to use all submitted materials indefinitely to showcase the winning projects, feature innovation in the structural steel industry,  and promote the IDEAS² program. Submitting an entry to AISC constitutes acceptance of this policy by firms, companies, and project photographers and indicates or confirms that these submitting parties have copyright ownership or express permission to submit them, that they grant AISC a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce the submitted materials in any media,  and that they agree to hold AISC harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with the submittal of materials.  

• The 2020 competition entry period ends on SteelDay: September 27, 2019.
• Entrants agree to abide by all rules and regulations of AISC's 2020 IDEAS² Awards program as defined in this document. AISC is not responsible for errors or omissions in entries.
• Firms may submit multiple building projects.
• Each entry will be considered separately.
• By entering, you grant AISC permission to disclose information about the recipient of the award and the building project, including budget and cost details.
• Project team members of winning projects should expect to be asked for additional information and commentary about their projects by representatives of AISC and the media.
• Submitted photographs and images used for exhibition or publication purposes will bear the customary photograph credit line. However, AISC is not responsible for errors or omissions. AISC reserves the right to retain indefinite possession of all materials for reproduction and subsequent exhibition. Submitting an entry constitutes acceptance of this policy by firms, companies, and project photographers and indicates that they agree to the release of the submitted photographs and images for use by AISC.