Concrete

With a concentrated effort to revitalize the downtown of Cliffside Park, N.J., Park Town Centre—13 stories of rental apartments atop a two-story retail level—was eyed as a way to bring new energy into a tired business district. Find a more efficient and cost-effective structural façade system to complete a planned mixed-use development that ran into economic issues. Town officials in Cliffside Park, N.J., had big plans for revitalizing their downtown when they began assembling properties for a new, signature mixed-use development back in 2002.

Case Study

Concrete

Seat Walls Breathe Life into Campus

The University of Michigan’s Gerstacker Grove, located on the north side of campus, features seat walls that breathe new life into a previously underutilized area. A series of sleek, artistic seat walls at the University of Michigan—designed by Stoss to create a luxurious and lively quad that can accommodate performances, events and everyday activities— stand as an example of the endless possibilities with custom precast concrete. The stunning Gerstacker Grove, located on the university’s north campus, breathes new life into an underutilized area—where previously the most notable features were well-worn footpaths in the grass. After months of construction, the $6.9 million project has been r

Advances

Stone/Masonry

Are you a Blockhead?

Precision-manufactured Comfort Block concrete masonry units fit together so tightly they can be assembled into walls using masonry adhesive, rather than mortar. When paired with matching EPS inserts, they also create a highly efficient wall system with an estimated effective R-value of up to 30 or higher.

Advances

Concrete

Indelible Drawings Carved in Concrete

Precast concrete is one of the most durable and economical building materials, can be expressed in unique and artful applications. The offices of Foster + Partners architects embraced an intriguing process innovation in a precast application in Fortaleza Hall at the newest addition to the Johnson Wax company headquarters in Racine, Wisc. The new building was built to commemorate the family’s journeys to Fortaleza, Brazil. Like a theater-in- the-round, it features a magnificent circular glass façade and roof rising two stories above a below-grade, conical reception hall with wooden mosaic floors and precast concrete walls. The precast walls feature a subtle grayscale mural of a Brazilian palm

Advances

Concrete

Versatility of Design

Design flexibility is achieved by aggregate, cement color and finishing processes. Precast concrete can mimic man-made & natural finishes while providing long-lasting durability and cost-efficiency. Bump outs, reveals and detailing are only limited by imagination, including multiple finishes on the same panel. PCI’s Color & Texture Guide lists 24 colors & 500 textures. Surface patterns, and shapes, can be achieved by casting with form liners. A large pattern plays with light & shadow. A fine texture offers subtle elegance. Customized designs are available, even photo engravings that turn the façade into a canvas. Even more compelling is SlenderWall’s thermal quali

Advances

Concrete

An Argument Against Precast Preconceptions

Often specified for its more utilitarian advantages, precast concrete might not be the exterior material of choice that first comes to mind for a signature high rise or cutting-edge boutique. However, Washington, D.C., architect Barry Habib, AIA, says the material offers numerous advantages for more workaday assignments, along with opportunities for creative expression for those willing to see a beauty that’s more than skin deep. “It is tough, it lasts a long time, it doesn’t leak if it’s installed correctly—and we’re getting a very good price for it,” says this principal with D.C.-based Shalom Baranes Assocs. Plus, the speed with which precast exteriors can be assembled can be a boon for pr

Advances

Thermal & Moisture Control

Thermal Performance at an Efficient Cost

Thermal efficiency is a strong suit for architectural precast and SlenderWall is an effective contributor towards LEED or Net-Zero. The industry exclusive ThermaGuard connection system creates a thermal break between the concrete face and integrated interior stud wall. Factory-applied closed cell foam provides continuous insulation to meet IECC energy code and air barrier compliance. SlenderWall has been verified in an independent lab to ASTM C1363-11 performance standards through a series of hot box tests performed with varying depths of insulation and gap spacing to create a methodology that ensures the panel's thermal performance (U-value and continuous insulation) to meet varying cus

Architectural Products

Concrete

Getting Back on Track with Style

Seat Walls Breathe Life into Campus

Are you a Blockhead?

Indelible Drawings Carved in Concrete

Versatility of Design

An Argument Against Precast Preconceptions

Thermal Performance at an Efficient Cost