The Best Projects of the Year

Before we go leaping into the year ahead, we pause for a celebration of the winners of the Project of the Year. We had more entries than ever before, which proves what we all knew — everybody is really busy out there! Judging was difficult, as there were only top-level entries in every category.

The winners are:

• Elevators, New Construction: KONE provided the Bloomberg European Headquarters in London with showcase pieces for the most sustainable office development in the world.
• Elevators, Modernization: The Riverside Centre in Brisbane, Australia, submitted by Norman Disney & Young and KONE Elevator shows how attention to detail can result in a modernization that has become a local industry benchmark.
• Our cover comes from the Phase-IV expansion of “The Avenues” Mall Extravaganza in Al-Rai, Kuwait. The winner in the “Escalators, New Construction” category is AG MELCO Elevator Kuwait Co. W.L.L. This showy shopping mall has the first public use of spiral escalators.
• Escalators, Modernization: The work at the Los Angeles Central Library is One for the Books. KONE uses its EcoMod™ system to upgrade the historic elevators with minimal disruption.
• Moving Walks: At the Quevedo Axis in Santander, Spain, an innovative system by thyssenkrupp enhances accessibility and encourages walking tours in the coastal city.
• Inclined Elevators: The View from the Top in Upper Marlboro, Maryland: Hill Hiker, Inc.’s lift makes Patuxent River observation tower accessible to all.
• Platform Lifts & Stairway Chairlifts: In the Pembroke 1201 Lobby Entrance in Washington, D.C., extreme coordination was required to get this Handi-Lift, Inc. direct-drive vertical platform lift installed in a short timeframe.
• Private-Residence Elevators: In Custom Elevator a Crowning Achievement in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, submitted by Nationwide Lifts, the unique shape brought challenges, but four patent filings resulted from the one-of-a-kind home lift over the course of the job.
• Special-Purpose Lifts: S.C. ELMAS SRL in Bran, Romania outfitted Bran Castle (“Dracula’s Castle”) with a bespoke Stone Elevator, which presented myriad challenges.

Congratulations to all the companies that provided entries. Readers will see all entries published sometime during the year, either in the magazine or on our website, www.elevatorworld.com.

Our focus this month is on Technical and Engineering Innovation. The first article is The Future of Integrated Transport in the Digital Age. This is a fascinating paper presented at last year’s Elevcon by Lars Hesselgren, Doguscan Aladag and Rupert Cruise. It addresses the development of linear motors for a radical new form of building transportation on a building “exoskeleton.” Five Benefits of Hydraulic Rope Equalizers submitted by Renown Electric & Motor Repair, Inc. is an overlooked tool that disperses tension and, therefore, increases rope life. Finally, Low-Voltage Storage for Energy-Intelligent Elevators by six authors/researchers is an examination of the current and future ultracapacitor and battery technology that shows how small and medium-sized elevator manufacturers can offer high-end solutions.

While not a part of the focus topic, our Industry Dialogue Building a Skills Bridge to Industry 4.0 with Judy Marks, Otis president, is a look into the future we all need to take. She emphasizes the importance of investing in training and education at all levels.

Finally, we cover several events, including NAESA International’s Wisconsin Elevator Symposium, which had record attendance, and ExpoElevador 2018 in São Paulo, where the enthusiasm of visitors could be understood as a sign of recovery in the area.

Enjoy our first issue of the new year!