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BY BENJAMIN MINNICK
Construction editor
Interest this year in Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association's Excellence in Concrete Construction awards program grew by leaps and bounds over last year -- participation more than doubled, going from 18 entries last year to 45 this year.
Executive Director Bruce Chattin said the "Special Applications" category typified many of this year's entries with its versatile applications of concrete. He singled-out the Marymoor Park climbing rock project as remarkable for its unique use of concrete.
Chattin said the use of decorative paving is noticeably on the rise. Last year there were no entries submitted using decorative paving. This year there were two categories, including one for commercial and one for residential, to handle a flood of 15 entries.
Not only were there more entries for the 28th edition of the awards, there were more categories -- nine instead of six. New categories this year included: "Decorative Paving -- Non-Residential" and "Public Works Bridges." The third new category was created by the judges when they decided to split the category "Special Applications" into two new categories: "Special Applications -- Technical" and "Special Applications -- Artistic."
The judging panel for this year included: Mark Woerman of CNA Architecture Group, Zalmai Zahir of the City of Seattle, Yogindder Beri of ABKJ, Gene Hussey of M.A. Mortenson, Bob Foster of Stoneway Concrete, John Arroyo of Cement Producers Northwest, and Journal of Commerce Construction Editor Benjamin Minnick.
"I think the judges were discerning in their (selection) process," said Chattin. To that effect, the judges spent over six hours scrutinizing the entries.
Chattin perhaps summed it up best when he said: "It's hard to have just one winner."
Chattin said his organization wants to be able to recognize more projects in the future. "We are always striving to improve the program."
The Grand Award
A drum roll, please.
And the winner of the Big Kahuna, the king of all concrete projects is. . .the Key Arena.
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| The new Key Arena offers a more intimate setting than the old Coliseum. |
The project involved reconstructing the old Seattle Center Coliseum into a multi-use entertainment facility, home to both the Sonics and Thunderbirds.
Reconstruction of the Key Arena required removal of all existing construction except for the cast-in-place concrete foundation; perimeter cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete ring beam; and main steel roof trusses.
All concrete removed from the old arena was crushed and reused as structural backfill for the new arena. Other recycled or reused components included: parts of the old cable-supported roof system, old chillers and cooling towers, concrete debris, wood, gypsum board, wire, metals and cardboard.
A monolithic superflat cast-in-place concrete floor was used for the ice floor. A special concrete mix was developed to reduce curing shrinkage and withstand the stresses of freeze and thaw cycles.
The new configuration required an excavation 35 feet deeper than the old facility. This required the use of both permanent and temporary shoring. The shoring system used tie backs and soil nails through sloping shotcrete shoring walls.
Since the event floor was lowered, the entrances into the building also needed to be lowered. New entrances required construction of cast-in-place walls to form terraced landscaping beds. The entrances also included grand semicircular stairs, which were built of integral colored cast-in-place concrete.
A new public plaza was constructed at the west entry stair. It was paved with integral colored concrete set to a pattern of spokes and crisscrossing color bands of stainless steel accents.
The project team included:
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