LAKELAND, Fla. (September 16, 2015) – Florida Polytechnic University’s iconic Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building has won this year’s Global Project of the Year award from Engineering News-Record (ENR), a leading construction industry trade publication.
Florida Poly’s IST Building won Best Education/Research Project and Best Specialty Contracting at the Global Construction Summit held earlier this month in New York City.
Each year, ENR identifies and honors global project teams behind exceptional design and construction. Projects are evaluated for safety, performance, innovation, aesthetic quality and workmanship, contribution to the community, and how well the project team overcame challenges.
“This award is a true honor because it recognizes all the hard work and dedication our partners put into the IST Building,” said Dr. Randy K. Avent, Florida Polytechnic University President. “The IST Building is not only a striking structure, it is also a symbol of innovation here at Florida Poly and a reminder of our commitment to educating the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math industry leaders.”
Construction of the 162,000-square-foot, white domed IST Building took 28 months. It is Florida Poly’s main classroom building located at the heart of the campus. It features a distinctive louvered roof system that moves throughout the day providing passive lighting inside the second-floor atrium. The oval-shaped IST Building is ringed by curved metal pergolas that shade its outer terrace and walkways. The building is home to 26 classrooms, the Aula Magna auditorium, faculty administrative offices, an 11,000-square-foot Commons area and a 11 innovation labs – including a 3D printing lab, cyber security lab and heath informatics lab – where students are able to get hands-on experience with the latest technology.
World-renowned architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava designed the building. Skanska USA was the lead contractor.