It was recently announced that Sto Corp., the innovative world leader in full system facades, has won the 2023 Hero of the Year Award–the highest possible honor–at the 2023 EIFS Architectural Awards. The awards are presented by The EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA), and winners were announced in March during the 2024 EIMA Annual Meeting in Dallas, TX. Sto Corp also received an Award of Merit and two Honorable Mentions. The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of architects who had previously attained the highest honors in the competition.

The project that won the Hero of the Year Award was the Kaleideum Children’s Museum in Winston Salem, NC. The five-story, nearly 70,000-square-foot project wowed judges with its imaginative design inspired by kaleidoscopic geometric forms using Sto’s StoTherm^® ci system with StoLit® Lotusan^®. Over 160 EPS shapes, including brightly colored triangular accents, created a faceted look that resembles the shapes from a kaleidoscope. Second Wind Solutions, based in Durham, NC, was the contractor, and Gensler, based in Raleigh, NC, was the architect.

Banner Gateway Hospital in Gilbert, AZ, received an Award of Merit. This massive expansion project included 256 StoPanel^® Classic ci panels, 18 StoPanel^® Metal ci Panels, and 70 StoPanel Backup with Masonry Veneer. Panel sizes ranged from the largest, at 44 feet by 14 feet, to the typical at 32 feet by 14 feet. Using oversized panels reduced panel count, minimized panel-to-panel joints, optimized tower crane efficiency, and maximized scheduling efficiency.  MKB Construction and Kapture Prefab were the contractors, and The Smith Group was the architect. 

Sto Corp. projects also received two Honorable Mentions. The retailer Bloomie’s project in Skokie, IL, was recognized for its innovative exterior. This 25,000 sq ft project featured StoTherm^® ci with a pattern of grayscale colors for the finish. Skyline Plastering Inc. was the contractor, and Antunovich Associates was the architect. 1000 Spring Street, a 30-floor mixed-use tower in Atlanta, GA, earned the second Honorable Mention featuring StoPanel Brick ci and StoTherm ci with StoCast Brick. Hemma Elevations, out of Marietta, GA and Southern Wall Systems, out of Suwanee, GA were the contractors, and Cooper Carry & Associates, based in Atlanta, GA was the architect. 

“We strive to deliver innovative products and systems that give architects creative freedom while meeting the performance requirements of building owners. Receiving the highest honor from these esteemed judges validates for our entire company that we are making a difference,” commented Mark Orlando, Vice President of Sales at Sto Corp.

Now in its sixth year, the EIFS Architectural Awards celebrate exceptional projects clad with exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), renowned for their superior performance, sustainability, durability, and aesthetic flexibility in building envelope solutions. It is the pinnacle competition in the EIFS industry.

For more information on Sto Corp., visit www.stocorp.com.