Best Projects 2011 Honors Best in Design &amp; Construction of Southwest

While construction activity continues to lag in the Southwest due to the weak economy, the design and construction industry still produced some exceptional projects in 2011. Now in its 14th year, Best Projects showcases the accomplishments of the entire design and construction teams behind these projects.

Photo by Brisen Photography

Award of merit winner Mini of Reno auto dealership impressed judges with a sleek and elegant design that reflects the styling of the car.

ENR Southwest received a total of 130 entries, more than from any of the other six regional editions of ENR. The panel of 15 judges—architects, contractors, subcontractors and engineers from across the entire region—looked at projects in 18 categories, ranging from civil works/infrastructure to office buildings to transportation. One difference this year was that projects from across the Southwest competed together, rather than having a separate list of winners from each state.

Judges read through each entry and scored each based on five criteria: overcoming challenges and teamwork; safety; innovation and contribution to the industry or community; construction quality and craftsmanship; and the function and/or aesthetic quality of the design. Any project with a construction-related death was automatically disqualified.

Taking the top-scoring projects from each category as the finalists, the judges then met to discuss the merits of each finalist and determine the ultimate winners.

Judges looked at information provided by the project teams and asked such questions as: How well did the project team work together to accomplish the project goals? How did the project team go above and beyond the baseline industry safety requirements? In what ways did this project innovate or help elevate industry standards? Did the contractor and subcontractors exceed expectations and achieve extraordinary results? Does the design fulfill the project's function and fit within the context of its surroundings?

The judges selected 18 main category winners and additional Awards of Merit. They chose Chandler City Hall as the Project of the Year, from three finalists that included the Glendale Water Supply Improvement Project in Reno, Nev., and the Mesa Community College - Saguaro Building in Mesa, Ariz.

This year's winners are:

Project of the Year & Best Government/Public Building- Chandler City Hall

Government/Public Building Award of Merit- Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Services Complex

Government/Public Building Award of Merit- Windmill Library and Services Center

Best Civil Works/Infrastructure Project- Glendale Water Supply Improvement

Civil Works/Infrastructure Award of Merit- Arcadia Drive Drainage Improvements

Best Cultural Project- V. Sue Cleveland High School Phase 2 - Fine Arts Center and Orchestra Hall

Cultural Award of Merit- McCormick Stillman Railroad Park - Model Railroad Building

Best Green Building Project- White Tank Branch Library and Nature Center

Green Building Award of Merit- Bonneville Transit Center

Best Health Care Project- Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center

Health Care Award of Merit- Diamond Children's Medical Center