CAST CONNEX is thrilled to announce that we have received the Presidential Award for Engineering Design and Construction for our work on the groundbreaking Sphere in Las Vegas. This award recognizes excellence in engineering design and highlights our role in delivering innovative structural solutions for one of the most ambitious and technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world.
For this iconic project, CAST CONNEX provided a nearly 14,000 cast steel nodes and connectors, which played a crucial role in the construction of the Sphere's structural framework inside and out.
The venue's exosphere — the world's largest spherical structure — rises 366 feet from its base and spans approximately 520 feet at its equator. Within this impressive structure, we supplied 368 cast steel nodes to connect the straight runs of steel tube. The castings are of 14 different geometries ranging in weight from 1.6 to 7.2 tons each, and connect to the members with all field-bolted connections, ensuring the seamless assembly of the spherical frame.
In addition to these custom nodes, we also delivered over 9,000 of our standardized Diablo Bolted Splice (DBS) connections. These pre-engineered connections facilitate the field-bolted splicing of the tubular steel structure that wraps around the exosphere and supports the world's largest and most high-definition exterior LED screen. Covering 580,000 square feet of fully programmable LED surface that has quickly become an iconic landmark, redefining the Las Vegas skyline with its unparalleled visual display capabilities.
Inside of the venue, the state-of-the art media plane structure supports LED panels that provide a first-of its kind visual experience. The gridshell structure is hung from the venue’s dome roof and relies on hundreds of custom-designed cast steel nodes that enable the precise location of hanger points and LED panels.
We are proud to have collaborated with a distinguished project team to bring this extraordinary vision to life. This award underscores our ongoing commitment to engineering excellence and our ability to deliver innovative, large-scale structural solutions for the most challenging architectural projects.
A sincere thank you to our project partners for their trust and collaboration. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Sphere project on this remarkable achievement!
What are the IDEAS² Awards?
Sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, the Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS²) Award program recognizes projects that illustrate the exciting possibilities of building with structural steel. The IDEAS² awards showcase the innovative use of structural steel in:
- the accomplishment of the structure's program
- the expression of architectural intent
- the application of innovative design approaches to the structural system
- leveraging productivity-enhancing construction methods
AISC’s award programs have celebrated landmark structures built with structural steel since 1960. These architectural icons span generations and stand the test of time. AISC recognizes and promotes these projects in recognition of their impact in terms of structural innovation, advances in safety, benefit to the local community, and environmental consciousness.
While many of the winners are landmark structures, the awards program also honors smaller, less well-known projects. What all of the winners share is a commitment to innovation and imaginative design!
→ More about the IDEAS2 awards
