While 2009 may have been a down year for the construction industry overall, individual efforts showcased in entries for the 2009 Concrete Pavement Awards
While 2009 may have been a down year for the construction industry overall, individual efforts showcased in entries for the 2009 Concrete Pavement Awards Û Decorative and Durable Designs program reflect resilience, exacting effort, and unflagging creativity. Cosponsored by Concrete Products, Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, and the American Society for Concrete Contractors’ Decorative Concrete Council, the competition recognizes outstanding achievement in a range of applications excluding highway work. To that end, judges weigh each project’s design, craftsmanship, and site suitability to select winners in five categories: Precast and Cast-in-Place for Residential and Commercial projects, plus Specialty. Featured this month are winning and honorable mention cast-in-place projects to be followed by precast category winners in March.
COMMERCIAL – FIRST PLACE
ROME TOWN GREEN
ROME, GEORGIA
Awarded to:
Site Technologies, Inc.
Roswell, Georgia
Concrete supplier:
Ready Mix USA
Rome, Georgia
A 14,500-sq.-ft. hardscape installed to commemorate the Town of Rome’s 175th anniversary incorporates multiple pavement designs surrounding an interactive fountain and three water features denoting three rivers that converge locally. Featured throughout the installation, in addition to natural grey paving with a broom finish, is integrally colored concrete of various hues and textures, including Adobe Tan and Sun Baked Clay with exposed aggregate, plus Shadow Slate/Blue Smoke both embossed and stamped. Pine cone and leaf impressions were created with handcrafted stamps and indigenous leaves collected by the landscape architect. Three varieties of Oldcastle/Belgard 60-mm paver accentuate the overall design: Holland Stone (4- _ 8-in.) in Georgia Blend color; Dublin Cobble in Ardenness Gray; and, Arbel Stone in Fossil Beige.
All cast-in-place pavements comprise a 4-in.-thick concrete layer on compacted soil subgrade. L.M. Scofield’s Chromix integral color, color hardener, liquid color release, embossing skins, and stamps enabled Rome Town Green designers to achieve their aim.
COMMERCIAL – SECOND PLACE
SEA WORLD MANTA
RIDE THE FLYING RAY
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Awarded to:
Edwards Concrete Co.
Winter Garden, Florida
Concrete supplier:
Cemex
Orlando, Florida
Primary among challenges facing concrete professionals who tackled the 65,000-sq.-ft. Sea World project was simulation of natural elements and conditions, i.e., windblown, sand-strewn wooden boardwalks and stone walkways. To obtain a woodgrain effect for the roller coaster-loading platform and cave walkway, a Bomanite 12-in. Random Boardwalk stamp was used, as well as L.M. Scofield Pecan Tan Hardener and Walnut release at four inches thick. Faux stone was achieved by means of Bomanite’s Canyon Stone stamp and Scofield’s Beige Cream Hardener and Walnut release. Heightening the effect of natural disarray, seashells, green and blue tumblegrass, sand, and limestone were broadcast atop the hardener over a sand finish to provide the illusion of beach sand blown onto the surface.
Pedestrian paths and sidewalks were poured six to eight inches thick with a mix containing 1/2-in. river rock to allow exposed aggregate. The installation’s success in creating a naturalistic setting was confirmed when judges commented upon the project’s appealing honesty and simplicity.
COMMERCIAL – HONORABLE MENTION
WALT DISNEY
OLD PORT ROYALE
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA
Awarded to:
Edwards Concrete Co.
Winter Garden, Florida
Concrete supplier:
Cemex
Orlando, Florida
A 22,000-sq.-ft. hardscape contributes to Walt Disney World Orlando’s replication of a Spanish fort erected in the Caribbean Islands during the early 1800s. Reinforcing the Old Spanish Fort theme are a pool deck and sidewalks bearing the imprint of a 24-in.-square Coquina stamp. QC Pecan Hardener and Walnut release create the appearance of coral stone.
RESIDENTIAL – FIRST PLACE
HIDDEN OASIS
STAFFORD, VIRGINIA
Awarded to:
Greystone Masonry, Inc.
Stafford, Virginia
Concrete supplier:
Virginia-Cardinal Concrete
Springfield, Virginia
A sloping site wedged between huge oak trees, a septic field, and the residence was transformed largely by the use of decorative concrete into a diversified recreational setting. From 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. on a single day, 25 crew members poured a 4,000-psi mix to a thickness of five inches over a 3-in. gravel base for the entire 3,500-sq.-ft. installation, reinforced by _-in. steel rebar 14 inches on center. Job-site constraints permitted no pumping and no Georgia Buggy deployment.
Color hardeners and random acid stain highlights, a water-based sealer, and three stamp designs were used to achieve the pavement’s natural stone appearance, which complements a large stone-veneer fireplace flanked by retaining walls, a fire pit surrounded by stone-veneer masonry sitting walls, and an elevated spa adjoining the pool. Additional features include an outdoor pergola supported by custom-cast stone columns, a large koi pond with cascading waterfalls, a full-size volleyball pit, outdoor shower, and playground area.
RESIDENTIAL – SECOND PLACE
LLOYD RESIDENCE
BEDFORD, VIRGNIA
Awarded to:
Lloyd Concrete Services
Forest, Virginia
Concrete supplier:
Bedford Ready Mix
Bedford, Virginia
Enhanced by 3,000-plus sq. ft. of decorative flatwork, the Lloyd residence offers proof that an eco-friendly, all-concrete home need not sacrifice aesthetics. Outdoors, the structural concrete back deck showcases integral color heightened by a stamped and stained surface. Leading from the deck are shored, free-floating radial steps expertly configured to terminate at the patio below while conforming to code height and width regulations. The stamped patio and pool deck incorporate six patterns and five colors. Eliminating the need for drains is pervious pavement, colored black to match pool borders and strategically placed along the retaining wall to capture water flow.
Indoors, basement countertops provide a striking example of concrete workmanship and artistry. After supporting rock was placed and finished, integrally colored ready mixed was poured and later polished to reveal horse shoes once worn by the owner’s animals. Judges remarked that the home’s concrete countertops contribute a conspicuous value-added feature.
RESIDENTIAL – HONORABLE MENTION
COLLING RESIDENCE
FREELAND, MICHIGAN
Awarded to:
Maday Construction
Saginaw, Michigan
Concrete supplier:
R&R Ready Mix
Bay City, Michigan
The elegant simplicity of the 1,160-sq.-ft. decorative concrete project belies a skillfully orchestrated effort Û completed in four days Û involving a stamped Large Random Flagstone pattern and a blend of colors for walkway, steps, and patio. Contributing to the installation’s natural hues are Medium Buff integral color, Brickform Oyster White and Victorian Red color hardener, Brickform Nutmeg release, and a 10 percent Walnut SureCrete Eco-Stain on individual stones. The 4-in.-thick patio flatwork is anchored by an offset fire pit.
SPECIALTY – FIRST PLACE
ASBURY GREEN
DENVER, COLORADO
Awarded to:
Colorado Hardscapes
Denver, Colorado
In time for the start of University of Denver’s Fall 2009 term, a 21,000-sq.-ft. courtyard installation was completed at an upscale student housing development near campus. Project principals, finding the cost of white cement prohibitive for the pavement, selected Capital Hill Sandscape Texture with accent fields and bands of colored Sandscape in Carbide and Apache hues.
Complementing the flatwork are walls of the water feature and fire pit. Since boulders specified in initial water-feature plans would have imposed too great a load on the courtyard deck built over a parking garage, the project team agreed upon glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) for a diGiacomo-designed art element. The fire pit also was enhanced by use of GFRC. The project thereby achieves an overall harmony of color and texture, judges noted.
SPECIALTY – HONORABLE MENTION
LYN-DAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
Awarded to:
Lloyd Concrete Services
Forest, Virginia
Concrete supplier:
Finley Corp.
Lynchburg, Virginia
The generosity of exertion involved in donating a hand-cut stained concrete emblem dedicated to a long-time fireman who lost his life parallels the service of Lyn-Dan Fire Department volunteers. An already labor-intensive project was complicated by a site comprising a small concrete pad and raised asphalt with no provision for water drainage. Accordingly, a small drain was installed before the emblem was stained and hand cut using a concrete pecker, then epoxied. A contrasting field to highlight the design was achieved by color staining the existing sidewalk and new patio flatwork.