The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has announced the winner of the ninth annual Sidney Freedman Craftsmanship Award. The award recognizes PCI-certified plants for excellence in manufacturing and craftsmanship of architectural precast concrete and glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) structures and individual components.

Judges selected Gate Precast Company in Winchester, Ky., and Oxford, N.C., for its work on One South First (Domino Sugar) in New York City. This 42-story commercial/residential building on the East River in Brooklyn featuring punched window openings represents an important advancement in the use of three-dimensional printed forms to manufacture precast concrete panels that are durable and contribute to the aesthetics of the building facade.

“The design of this building pays homage to the sugar factory that once sat on this property,” said Steve Schweitzer, Gate Precast Company vice president of operations. “This new and innovative forming system not only was instrumental to using architectural precast concrete for the façade of this building but is changing the way precast producers across the country think about utilizing a new material to form precast concrete products. This innovative and cutting-edge project took craftsmanship in a whole different direction, combining 3D-printed molds and wood forms to meet the architect’s vision, schedule, and budgetary requirements.”

“One South First is a very interesting and custom looking project, utilizing craftsmanship techniques throughout the construction process,” said Matt Graf, executive vice president of sales at International Concrete Products, who served on the judging panel. “Challenges included devising a fastening system to hold the 3D-printed mold parts in place, the fabrication of special jigs to tie the special rebar cages, and the polishing of the precast concrete.”

The award is named after retired PCI Director of Architectural Systems Sidney Freedman, who was a leading voice in precast concrete architectural design for more than 43 years with the organization.