The King Abdullah Academy in Herndon, VA, designed by Bowie Gridley Architects (BGA), has been recognized with a 2016 Design Award Honorable Mention: K-12 Schools by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI).

The new King Abdullah Academy took advantage of the cost advantages and versatility of precast concrete to create an urban school that reflects the colors and architectural details of the desert.

The decision to use precast concrete in this project provided the owner with a custom appearance that met their unique needs while also giving them an extremely durable, long-lasting, low-maintenance facility that will allow them to better control long-term operating costs and help to keep tuition lower.

Now in its 54th year, the PCI Design Awards program recognizes design excellence and construction quality using precast concrete.

The program has helped the design and construction community innovate and advance by showcasing ideas that push the envelope, overcome challenges, and improve upon existing concepts. The program demonstrates how designers are continuing to utilize high performance precast/prestressed concrete to achieve sustainable, more cost-effective, aesthetically-pleasing, and quickly-constructed projects.