Leslie E. Robertson

Henry C. Turner Prize

May 6, 2002  

2002 Henry C. Turner Prize recipient, Leslie Robertson.

Courtesy LERA

The National Building Museum and Turner Construction Company presented the first Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology to noted structural engineer Leslie E. Robertson, P.E., F.ASCE. Robertson’s path-breaking 50-year career as a structural designer has significantly advanced the engineering and construction of tall buildings around the world. He was responsible for the structural design and construction of three of the world's six tallest buildings, including the World Trade Center.

On May 5, 2002, Robertson gave a public lecture at the Museum and on May 6 he was formally presented the prize at a gala centennial anniversary dinner hosted by Turner Construction Company.

"The National Building Museum is privileged to offer our new award in recognition of major American advances in construction technology," said Museum president Susan Henshaw Jones.

"The Museum is grateful to Turner Construction Company for its endowment of the prize. It allows us to honor individuals, such as Leslie Robertson, and organizations that have had a profound impact—not only on the engineering and construction industries - but on our daily lives, as well. For his contribution in the design and construction of tall buildings, Leslie E. Robertson is a most befitting recipient of the first prize."

"On the occasion of its centennial, Turner Construction Company wanted to set up an enduring and visible mechanism to showcase America's many innovations in construction technology. Our company is proud to establish an endowment for the prize at the National Building Museum, which is America's leading cultural institution focusing on architecture, engineering, construction, and urban planning," said Robert E. Fee, president and CEO of Turner Construction Company.

Robertson began his engineering career in 1952 and eventually established Leslie E. Robertson Associates, R.L.L.P. with the guiding principle of providing an imaginative and responsible approach to engineering problems. Robertson's groundbreaking structural designs that have influenced the design and construction of tall buildings include: 

• The first high-rise building to use a composite megastructure space frame to resist all loads imposed by typhoon winds and the weight of the building (The Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong, 1989),

• The creation of mechanical damping units to reduce wind-induced swaying (World Trade Center, NY, 1968),

• The first use of prefabricated multiple-column and spandrel-wall panels to resist the lateral force from hurricane winds and to allow column-free interior space (World Trade Center, NY, 1972),

• The first use of a space-frame megastructure and outrigger or hat system for a high-rise building (United States Steel Headquarters, Pittsburgh, PA (now USX), 1970), and 

• The creation of the shaftwall system now almost universally used for fire-resistive walls in high-rise buildings.

The Henry C. Turner Prize is named after the founder of the Turner Construction Company established in May 1902 in New York City. It recognizes an invention, an innovative methodology, and/or exceptional leadership by an individual or team of individuals in construction technology. This broadly includes construction techniques, innovations and practices, construction and project management, and engineering design. The prize primarily recognizes achievements within the United States, but innovations or achievements by Americans in construction technology outside the United States are also eligible for consideration.

The Henry C. Turner Prize is supported by an endowment from Turner Construction Company