A 1952 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe design, finally brought to life. A winding canopy trail that gives humans a lemur’s-eye view. A 116-year-old unreinforced brick factory, upgraded for a second century of service--in a seismic zone, no less. A new place for travelers at one of the world’s busiest airports to begin their journeys and come home again.

What do they have in common? They’re all built with American steel, and they’re all finalists for the steel industry’s top design honor, AISC’s Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS²) Awards.

The IDEAS² Awards recognize projects that illustrate the exciting possibilities of building with structural steel, highlighting the many ways steel can help express architectural intent while harnessing its unique advantages for both simple and complex structural systems.

AISC will present some of its most prestigious awards to 11 remarkable people at the 2023 NASCC: The Steel Conference. AISC’s Lifetime Achievement Awards recognize living individuals who have made a difference in the success of AISC and the structural steel industry.

“This is a time of extraordinary innovation in design and construction with structural steel,” said AISC President Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD. “It’s always a pleasure to recognize the exceptional people who have driven our industry to where it stands today--and who continue to ensure a bright future.”

AISC is proud to present University of Texas at Austin Professor Michael D. Engelhardt, PhD, PE, with the Geerhard Haaijer Award for Excellence in Education to recognize his profound impact on the structural steel design and construction industries.

Engelhardt boasts a formidable portfolio of groundbreaking research.

"It seems that no matter what topic he touches, he makes a significant impact and dramatically advances the state of the art (or the state of the 'Engelhardt' - pun intended)," said AISC Director of Research Devin Huber, PE, PhD. "He has made a lasting impact on the industry and been a mentor to many engineers."

AISC will present its highest industry honor, the Robert P. Stupp Award for Leadership Excellence, to David Zalesne, president of Owen Steel Company and a former chair of the AISC Board of Directors.

"David is a visionary who sees opportunities and solutions the rest of us can't. Even better, he's wonderfully able to share his vision and engage the rest of us," said AISC President Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD. "David commits and always builds great outcomes."

Zalesne is only the 10th Stupp Award winner since the program's inception in 1998. The award is named for the late Robert P. Stupp, president of Stupp Bros. Bridge and Iron Co. in St. Louis, who won the inaugural prize.

On December 5, North American industrial steel pipe and tube manufacturer Zekelman Industries completed its acquisition of EXLTUBE from SPS Companies, Inc. Zekelman and SPS finalized the acquisition less than a month after announcing their agreement in November.

Headquartered in North Kansas City, Mo., EXLTUBE manufactures hollow structural sections (HSS), mechanical tubing, standard pipe, and specialty products. With three Kansas City-area mills and more than 530,000 sq. ft of manufacturing and warehouse space, EXLTUBE complements and strengthens the products and manufacturing capabilities offered by the Zekelman family of companies.