May 2010
The award-winning Crystals development, the retail and entertainment complex at the heart of CityCenter Las Vegas, has received another award for its innovative design.
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has awarded the 500,000 sq ft high-end retail, entertainment and dining complex its 2010 Ideas2 Award of Merit for projects greater than $75 million.
Halcrow Yolles provided full structural engineering services for the complex and for several of its high-end retail tenants.
Crystals’ defining feature is its extraordinary roof structure, formed by the intermingling of 19 separate planar and arcade roofs. Thousands of immense leaning columns, curving trusses and straight members made of 16,455 uniquely fabricated pieces of steel overlap and lie askew to provide the striking roof shape. In total, 13,900 tons of steel were used to construct the six arcade roofs and 13 planar roofs, which connect at different angles to converge at the height of the building. The arcade roofs also include skylights that set off the distinct and elegant interior through natural lighting.
All steel used for the project was recycled, helping Crystals to earn its LEED Gold certification.
The AISC’s Ideas2 awards recognise projects where steel has been utilised in an innovative manner, taking into consideration applications of design approaches, the project’s aesthetic and visual appeal, and uses of architecturally exposed structural steel.
Jury member Jennifer Redmond, vice president of project management for Novel Iron Works in Greenland NH, said, “This design shows that, when using steel, the only limit to what can be created is the imagination.”
The project’s growing list of awards includes the Specialty Contracting award from USA engineering magazine Engineering News Record’s Best of the Best and Southwest Contractor Magazine’s Best of 2008 awards for Nevada.