MCA 2023 Design Award Winners

#MagnificentMetalMonday Celebrates Excellence in Metal Construction

“Wall of Winners” on display at METALCON 2023

What are the MCA Design Awards?

The Metal Construction Association Design Awards have become a prestigious event in the architectural and construction industry. They aim to honor the excellence in metal construction and celebrate the architects, designers, and contractors who push the boundaries of what’s possible with this material. The awards are a testament to the transformative power of metal, whether it’s steel, aluminum, copper, or zinc, in the hands of skilled professionals.

The Winners’ Showcase

While at METALCON last month, design entries and winners were prominently displayed on the “winners wall” down the “power aisle” on the show floor. The winners will also be featured in various industry publications, websites, and social media channels, providing them with valuable exposure and networking opportunities. This recognition is not only a testament to their skills but also an excellent marketing tool for future endeavors.

The 2023 MCA Design Award Winners

This year’s winning projects showcase the use of metal in design and construction in buildings ranging from offices to a playground, education to residential, and transportation to commercial. All the projects have at least one MCA member company as part of the construction team.

Best Overall / Solar / Custom

Thirty75 — Santa Clara, California

MCA Member Company: PPG Industries
Architect: Verse Design Los Angeles
Metal Installer: AGA/AGS, Viking Steel, SME
Contractor: Truebeck Construction

Insulated Metal Panels

Fred Ayres Memorial Playground at Pineapple Park — Jensen Beach, Florida

MCA Member Company: Kingspan, Metallic Products
Architect: Ahrens Companies
Contractor: Ahrens Companies
Metal Installer: Ahrens Companies

Metal Composite Material

North Carolina State University, Plant Sciences Building — Raleigh, N.C.

MCA Member Company: 3A Composites USA
Architect: Flad Architects
Contractor: DPR Construction
Metal Installer: SPS Corporation, BEES, Bonitz

Single Skin Panels

Texas A&M Southside Recreational Center — College Station, Texas

MCA Member Company: Carlisle Companies Incorporated, Auzmet Architectural Incorporated
Architect: SmithGroup
Contractor: Manhattan Construction Group
Metal Installer: Auzmet Architectural Incorporated

Residential Roof

4/Way House — Topanga, California

MCA Member Company: RHEINZINK
Architect: Deegan-Day Design & Architecture Incorporated
Contractor: Kent Snyder Construction
Metal Installer: Atlas Sheet Metal

Commercial Roof, First Place

Katy Trail Ice House — Las Vegas, Nevada

MCA Member Company: Nucor Buildings Group, and McElroy Metals
Architect: Gensler
Contractor: Burke Construction
Metal Installer: Battle Born Steel

Commercial Roof, Second Place

Phoenix Sky Harbor Sky Train — Phoenix, Arizona

MCA Member Company: Dura Coat Products
Architect: SmithGroup/Gannet Fleming
Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Metal Installer: Kovach

Retrofit

SUNY Binghamton University — Binghamton, NY

MCA Member Company: 3A Composites USA
Architect: Ashley McGraw Associates
Metal Installer: Gitzen Company, Inc.

Projects considered for these awards were submitted to MCA Design Awards Program and / or Metal Architecture magazine’s annual Design Awards Program. The recipients were chosen by the following panel of professional architects:

Steve Blye, AIA LEED AP BC+C
Director of Healthcare Design
Legat Architects

Rick Harlan Schneider, AIA, APA, LEED
Principal
ISTUDIO Architects

Paul Mankins, FAIA, LEED AP
Founding Partner
substancearchitecture

In conclusion, the Metal Construction Association Design Awards are a celebration of innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the construction industry. By recognizing outstanding projects that employ metal in creative and functional ways, the MCA Design Awards inspire architects, designers, and contractors to push the boundaries of what’s possible in construction.

For additional details on each project, check out Building Enclosure’s feature article.

More Posts from the METALCON blog:

The Products Shaping Metal Construction — See Them at METALCON

From roofing and walls to software, accessories and more, explore the 2026 METALCON Top Product Awards nominees and the innovations shaping metal construction. See these products and more at METALCON next week, and don’t miss your last chance to vote for your favorite Top Product Awards picks.

Six questions to ask when choosing ERP for a metal business

Choosing ERP for a metal business starts with the work itself: how material arrives, how it moves through production and how an order becomes an invoice. A feature list can begin the conversation, but a walkthrough of your own process makes the evaluation more useful. 1 How does material keep its history Choose one coil, bundle or finished item and follow it through the demonstration. Ask which lot or serial details stay with it as it moves between receiving, storage

METALCON, U.S. Steel to celebrate anniversaries in Orlando

U.S. Steel is celebrating 125 years of steelmaking, innovation and American manufacturing in 2026. The milestone will be recognized as part of METALCON’s 35th anniversary, October 7-9 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. As the largest international event in the metal construction and design industry, METALCON will recognize U.S. Steel’s longstanding role in the steel industry and the company’s continued focus on innovation for the future. At METALCON, U.S. Steel (booth 1077) is hosting Steel on the Move

Sometimes Doing It Yourself Costs More Than You Think

In the metal construction industry, there is a certain pride that comes with doing things yourself. It’s the same mindset that has built successful businesses, solved difficult jobsite challenges, and helped contractors grow from small operations into thriving companies. That’s why it’s easy to understand the appeal of rolling your own metal panels. At first glance, it seems simple enough. Buy a machine, source the steel, bring production in-house, and eliminate a supplier from the equation. More control. More flexibility.

PRESS KIT 2026

Welcome to METALCON 2026 METALCON takes place Oct. 7–9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, with pre-show workshops beginning Tuesday, Oct. 6. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, METALCON brings the entire metal construction ecosystem together in one place—from contractors, installers and fabricators to manufacturers, architects, engineers, specifiers, designers, suppliers, owners and developers. It is the industry’s annual business and education summit, bringing the metal construction community together to understand the forces shaping the market and see what

Top Metal Construction Trends Explored at METALCON

From thermal performance and evolving codes to cold-formed steel, automation and embodied carbon, explore six trends shaping metal construction and see where they’re headed at METALCON 2026.

Mill Steel Company Exhibits at METALCON 2026 in Orlando

Mill Steel is excited to announce our booth at METALCON 2026, the premier tradeshow dedicated exclusively to the metal construction and design industry. Taking place October 7–9, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, METALCON brings together the full spectrum of builders, fabricators, architects, distributors, and innovators shaping the future of metal in construction. As one of North America’s leading metal distributors, Mill Steel will be on the show floor at Booth 1225 sharing insights, solutions, and

MetalForming LLC Brings A World of Possibilities to METALCON 2026 Booth 911

When you build out your fabrication shop, it often requires working with multiple suppliers. At MetalForming LLC, we break that pattern. With us, you don’t have to coordinate quotes from three different suppliers to build out your production line or navigate different support structures when something goes wrong. We partner with the world’s leading manufacturers in folding, cutting, coil processing, and rollforming, to give you A World of Possibilities. See our industry-leading lineup at METALCON 2026. Stop by booth 911

How Coil Processing Machines Are Revolutionizing Manufacturing Efficiency

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of manufacturing, efficiency is the key to success. Manufacturers across industries are constantly seeking innovative solutions to streamline their operations, minimize downtime, and achieve unparalleled precision. One technology that is revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape is coil processing machines. At the forefront of this revolution is ASCO Machines, a global leader in advanced machinery. With their cutting-edge products like the V2.5 folding machine and the Slinet series, ASCO Machines is setting new standards for manufacturing

5 Things You’ll Learn at METALCON if You Are a Architect, Designer, or Specifier

Discover five things architects, designers and specifiers can learn at METALCON 2026, from the Design District to the show floor — including materials, performance, emerging technologies and more.