Tag Archives: IDEAS2 Awards

Albina Co., Inc. Recognized at “The Spheres” IDEAS2 Presidential Award Ceremony

“The Spheres” in Seattle, Washington have been all the buzz lately! “The Spheres” were featured in the May 2019 Edition of Modern Steel Magazine as the buildings were awarded the AISC’s IDEAS2 Presidential Award for Excellence in Fabrication!  Just this last week, our VP of Sales, Brad Lund, was able to attend the award presentation ceremony at “The Spheres” in Seattle and we were awarded a plaque to display in our office. See below for some AMAZING pictures!


Albina Co., Inc. was the steel bender/roller for the Curved Steel Bio-Sphere buildings in Seattle, WA. Albina bent 750,000# and 1,050 pieces rectangular tube steel bent the easy way and a portion bent off-axis. Almost 8 miles of welding work and grinding was avoided because of Albina’s ability to bend a portion of the project. Almost NO correction was needed during fabrication or erection as the bends fit to the fixtures within 1/32nd of an inch! Albina Co., Inc. also bent the handrails and spiral staircase for the interior of the buildings.

Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Interior Shot of the “webs” used to help create “The Spheres”
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Brad Lund receiving the AISC IDEAS2 Award for Presidential Excellence in Fabrication
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Curved Steel Handrail 2nd floor of “The Spheres”
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
A close up of the “webs” used to help create “The Spheres”
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Curved Steel Handrails and Spiral Staircases on the interior of “The Spheres”
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Curved Steel Spiral Staircase at “The Spheres” (looking down)
Albina Co., Inc. Steel Bender/Steel Roller for "The Spheres" In Seattle
Curved Steel Spiral Staircase at “The Spheres” (from ground level)

“The Seattle Spheres” win Presidential Award for Excellence in Fabrication

The May 2019 Edition of Modern Steel Magazine features an article on the Seattle Spheres as they won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Fabrication! 


Albina Co., Inc. was the steel bender/roller for the Curved Steel Bio-Sphere buildings in Seattle, WA. Albina bent 750,000# and 1,050 pieces rectangular tube steel bent the easy way and a portion bent off-axis. Almost 8 miles of welding work and grinding was avoided because of Albina’s ability to bend a portion of the project. Almost NO correction was needed during fabrication or erection as the bends fit to the fixtures within 1/32nd of an inch!

Curved Steel Spheres
Curved Steel Spheres Seattle, WA.
Curved Steel Spheres Seattle, WA.

“The Spheres” Given AISC’s 2019 IDEAS2 Presidential Award for Excellence in Fabrication!

Another Awarding Winning Project in the books for Albina Co., Inc. “The Spheres” have received the AISC 2019 IDEAS2 Presidential Award for Excellence in Fabrication! Albina bent 750,000# and 1,050 pieces rectangular tube steel bent the easy way and a portion bent off-axis for this project. Almost 8 miles of welding work and grinding was avoided because of Albina’s ability to bend a portion of the project. Almost NO correction was needed during fabrication or erection as the bends fit to the fixtures within 1/32nd of an inch! Numerous Pacific Northwest businesses collaborated to make The Spheres possible. Way to Go Team & Congratulations!

Amazon Curved Steel Spheres
Curved Steel Spheres

Another IDEAS2 Awarding Winning Project in the Books (Literally)!

Sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, the Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS2) recognizes projects where structural steel has been utilized in an innovative manner. We have been an integral part of many award winning projects, but this year, our curved steel was featured on the award-winning project of the UC Davis Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art.

In honor of this years award winners, the AISC produced a high quality coffee table flip Book of the winners. The UC Davis Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art is featured on pages 39 and 40 Feel free to check out the whole book to see the entire list of winners.

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Curved Steel Entry

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

50,000 Square Foot Permeable Roof

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Overview of Curved Roof Structure

2018 IDEAS2 Award Winners Announced In AISC Press Release & YouTube Video “IDEAS2 Awards FAQ”

The AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) recently issued a press release announcing a dozen structural steel projects that have earned recognition in the 2018 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel awards program (IDEAS2). Albina Co., Inc. was the steel bender of choice for the Merit Award winner UC Davis Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, Davis, Calif. To read to full press release, please visit the AISC website. The AISC has also produced a YouTube video titled “IDEAS2 Awards FAQ” highlighting the main criteria for steel buildings that are considered as potential candidates to receive an IDEAS2 award.

2018 IDEAS2 AISC Merit Award Winning Project!

In early December, we received notification from the American Institute of Steel Construction that the UC Davis Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, of which Albina Co., Inc. did the structural steel bending for, was selected by the AISC awards jury to receive the 2018 IDEAS2 Merit Award in the $15-$75 Million Category. In all, the jury selected 12 projects for the recognition this year for the IDEAS2 Award, the U.S. Steel Industry’s highest honor for building design. Four projects received the National Award, while six projects received the Merit Award, and two projects received the Presidential Award, one for excellence in adaptive reuse and another for excellence in erection engineering. AISC will announce the winning projects as NASCC: The Steel Construction Conference in Baltimore this spring.

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Overview of Curved Roof Structure

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Curved Steel Entry

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

50,000 Square Foot Permeable Roof

Curved Steel Roof Structure at the Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis

The Jan Shrem and Maria Maneeti Museum of Art at UC Davis opened in late November of 2016. Albina Co., Inc. was fortunate enough to be the designated AISC Bender/Roller on this project. Albina bent 38 lengths of tube steel 14″ X 10″ X .500″ WALL A500 GR B and 3 lengths of tube steel 14″ X 10″ X .375″ WALL A500 GR B for the complex project. All of the material bent the Easy Way, Hard Way and also compound bent the easy way AND hard way in the same length. The Fabricator on the project was Olsen & Co. Steel. SO-IL and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed a 50,000 square-foot permeable roof that covers both the site and the building. The canopy is composed of 910 triangular, honed aluminum infill beams. assembled in an intricate pattern, the structure seeks to evoke the patchwork texture and topology of the surrounding landscape. The canopy arcs as high as 34 feet on the freeway side, and dips as low as 12 feet at its front. The Museum is currently nominated for an AISC 2017 IDEAS2 Award.

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

50,000 Square Foot Permeable Roof

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Curved Steel Entry

Curved Steel Roof UC Davis

Overview of Curved Roof Structure

Curved Steel Roof Structure at Newport Beach Civic Center Wins Awards

The NCSEA (National Council of Structural Engineers Associations) awarded the Newport Beach Civic Center and Park with the “Outstanding Project Award for New Buildings Over $100 Million.” Albina Co., Inc. was the bender/roller for the iconic curved wide-flanged waved roofs that line the façade of the building. The AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) recognized this same project as a 2014 IDEA National Award Winner in the Spring of 2014.

Architect: Bohlin Cywindski Jackson
Structural Engineer: Arup
Fabricator: SME Steel Contractors
Bender/Roller: Albina Co., Inc.

352,000# of rolled steel by Albina
• W10 x 26#- 502 pcs all rolled the hardway to AESS standards. Rolled down to a 16 ft radius.
• TS 3” x 3” x .250” wall- 502 pcs rolled to match the W10 x 26#.
• WT 3 x 13.5#- 158 pcs split from W6 x 27# (by Albina) and rolled Stem-in and Stem-out down to a 15 ft radius.
• TS 8” x 8” x .500” wall- rolled to AESS standards
• TS 6” x 6” x .250” wall- rolled to AESS standards
• TS 8” x 8” x .375” wall- 60 pcs rolled to AESS standards

Curved Steel Newport Beach Civic Center-3

Curved Steel Newport Beach Civic Center-2

Curved Steel Newport Beach Civic Center-1

IDEAS Awards Presentation Photos of Curved Steel Roof Trusses

Rex Buchanan took some amazing photographs of the curved steel roof trusses at the San Diego Library Dome during the IDEAS Awards presentation on Friday, June 5.

2015 IDEAS Awards entries will be accepted by AISC within the next month, and any team member can enter projects. Consider partnering with the premier bender/roller in the country in Albina Co. and we will help you create and enter your next great steel-framed project. The entry deadline will be in December.