Cal Poly Students Win Award for Concrete Sculpture

SAN LUIS OBISPO - Five Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design students received an Award of Excellence at the 2006 Post Tensioning Institute Awards held May 8 in Reno , Nev.

Students Susan Smilanich, Jon Voorhies, Ben Green, Mike McDonnell, and Robert Pacheco won for their design of a concrete blade structure. The new 20-foot "flower" replaced the deteriorating original, "A Sculptural Study in Prestressed Concrete," built by CAED students Steve Gilmore, Mark Haselton, Ken Minor and the late Dan McMann in 1963 as one of the first experimental structures at Cal Poly. These original students served as technical advisors to the current students, along with faculty advisor Nick Watry.

The students designed and constructed the complex art form using post-tensioned and reinforced concrete. They were challenged to build a curved structure with a 50- to 100-year service life utilizing modern concrete and post-tensioning technology.

The PTI jury was particularly impressed by the students' involvement in all aspects of the project from concept to completion, exposing them to the demands of today's high standards of design, construction and completion deadlines.

The PTI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of post-tensioned, pre-stressed concrete design and construction.

For more information contact Nick Watry at (805) 756-5414 or cwatry@calpoly.edu .

For more on the PTI, visit www.post-tensioning.org/ .

To receive a photo of the winning project via email, contact Ray Ladd at (805) 756-7432 or rladd@calpoly.edu .

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