Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s Design for the Virginia Beach Convention Center Wins National Award

Project Wins 11th Award

Chicago, IL – May 27, 2008 – The Virginia Beach Convention Center (VBCC), designed by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), recently received the American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. (AISC) 2008 IDEAS2 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel Award. The project was named a National Award Winner, the highest award bestowed in the large project category. This program recognizes projects where structural steel has been utilized in an innovative manner. The award was announced at the 2008 North American Steel Construction Conference held in April in Nashville, Tennessee.

“The project was a winner with our client and the Virginia Beach Community from the start. The project has now received awards at a pace I have not seen before in my career at SOM,” states George Efstathiou, SOM’s Managing Partner for the project.

He added, “The most important award was the Distinguished Build Award given by our own Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).”

The AISC IDEAS2 Award is the 11th award given to the VBCC. The additional awards the VBCC have received extend beyond the architectural industry and include:

• 2007 AIA - Chicago Chapter Distinguished Building Award
• 2007 BusinessWeek/Architectural Record Citation for Excellence
• 2007 Virginia Department of Environmental Equality Virginia Green Certification
• 2007 Facilities and Destinations Magazine Prime Site Award
• 2007 Trade Show Executive Innovation Award (Floor Grid)
• 2007 American Public Works Association’s Project of the Year
• 2007 Real Estate & Construction Review Magazine Plaque of Honor
• 2007 Convention South Magazine Reader's Choice Award Winner
• 2006 Hampton Roads Commercial Real Estate Association Best Institution/Public Building - First Honor Award
• 2005 Virginia Beach Planning Commission Honor Award - Exceptional Public Facility

The over 500,000 square-foot VBCC is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Exposed structural steel elements used throughout the convention center provide a common and unifying theme. A wide variety of architecturally exposed steel structures are utilized to support the building’s design, which is based on nautical themes and seagoing vessels, as well as strong structural support for such endeavors.

 Working with the City of Virginia Beach, SOM designed the convention center with several energy-efficient initiatives: lighting and HVAC systems programmed to conserve electricity during off hours, energy-efficient windows that limit UV penetration, naturally rot-and-insect-resistant Cumaru wood flooring and decks, and effective storm water retention systems. Upon its completion, VBCC was the first convention center in Virginia to meet standards set by Virginia Green, the state’s campaign to promote environmental initiatives in the hospitality and tourism industries.

The convention center includes four easily reconfigurable sub-halls with 40-foot ceilings and a 240-foot clear span roof. A significant feat of engineering, the VBCC roof is one of the largest column-free spans in the U.S. The facility also contains a grand ballroom, meeting rooms, and a community-oriented park landscaped with plants that tolerate draughts and conserve water.

About SOM Chicago
Founded in 1936, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP is one of the world's leading architecture, urban design, engineering, and interior architecture firms. SOM's sophistication in building technology applications and commitment to design quality has resulted in a portfolio that features some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th century. Examples include the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago; Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai; Canary Wharf in London; the Washington Mall and Constitution Gardens in Washington D.C.; and the Lever House in New York City. Currently, the firm maintains offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

Interviews and Images of the VBCC are available upon request.
Email your request to: somchicago@som.com