Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm, announces that two projects for which it provided structural engineering services – Palazzo Lombardia in Milan, Italy, and the Solar Canopy/EV Dock in Chicago, Ill. –  have received the coveted International Architecture Awards. The projects were among 80 chosen for the honor.
The awards, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture Design, the European Center for Architecture Art Design, and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, Ltd., recognize excellence in architecture and urban planning.
The 40-story Palazzo Lombardia is the tallest building in Italy upon its completion in 2011. The building serves as headquarters for the Lombardy Regional Government. Thornton Tomasetti provided structural engineering services to Pei Cobb Freed and Partners.
Palazzo Lombardia includes a nine-story curvilinear podium composed of six independent buildings separated by expansion joints, and a large public plaza enclosed by an arched tubular lamella roof clad with an ETFE pillow membrane.
The Solar Canopy/EV Dock, a prototype structure completed in 2011, is designed to harvest solar energy for powering electric/hybrid vehicles. The dock is used by the City of Chicago to charge its stock of cars.
Thornton Tomasetti was responsible for the structural design and detailing of steel and connections for Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The 11-foot tall structure has a steel superstructure and concrete foundation with a 300-SF canopy. Attached photovoltaic panels provide space for two cars. The unit can function singularly or linked with other canopies. +
Related Stories
Architects | Aug 19, 2015
Despite dip, architecture billings remain strong
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July ABI score was 54.7, down a point from a mark of 55.7 in June.
Architects | Aug 17, 2015
Historic power plant converted to modern offices in Minnesota
A landmark power plant in Owatonna, Minn., damaged in a 2010 flood has new life as the headquarters of Owatonna Public Utilities following a renovation by architects Leo A. Daly.
High-rise Construction | Aug 11, 2015
Calatrava's Turning Torso wins CTBUH's 10 Year Award
The 623-foot, 57-story tower was the world's first twisting skyscraper. Completed in 2005, the building, designed by Santiago Calatrava, rotates 90 degrees along its height.Â
Architects | Aug 11, 2015
Architecture firm compensation trending upwards
Latest AIA compensation survey finds average compensation for staff positions up 3.5 percent from early 2013
Architects | Aug 11, 2015
12 architecture schools join NCARB's 'speedy path to licensure' program
For architecture students, a license to practice may soon be available as early as graduation day
Architects | Aug 10, 2015
HDR expands its Canadian presence through merger with CEI Architecture
Public-private partnerships are expected to be one of the combined entity’s strengths. Â
Retail Centers | Aug 10, 2015
Walgreens’ flagship in Hawaii harkens back to the island’s fishing culture
A house where canoes were made served as the model for this drug superstore’s design.Â
Giants 400 | Aug 7, 2015
GOVERNMENT SECTOR GIANTS: Public sector spending even more cautiously on buildings
AEC firms that do government work say their public-sector clients have been going smaller to save money on construction projects, according to BD+C's 2015 Giants 300 report.
Giants 400 | Aug 7, 2015
K-12 SCHOOL SECTOR GIANTS: To succeed, school design must replicate real-world environments
Whether new or reconstructed, schools must meet new demands that emanate from the real world and rapidly adapt to different instructional and learning modes, according to BD+C's 2015 Giants 300 report.
Giants 400 | Aug 7, 2015
MULTIFAMILY AEC GIANTS: Slowdown prompts developers to ask: Will the luxury rentals boom hold?
For the last three years, rental apartments have occupied the hot corner in residential construction, as younger people gravitated toward renting to be closer to urban centers and jobs. But at around 360,000 annual starts, multifamily might be peaking, according to BD+C's 2015 Giants 300 report.
