Architectural precast presents unique challenges that set it apart from standard production. Unlike cookie-cutter projects where plant crews reuse forms for repeating design elements or large-scale production, every architectural precast order is different and presents a near-constant learning curve.
In a recent Spokane Public Schools contract, Spilker Precast proved how critical attention to detail can be in executing architectural elements. The Spokane, Wash. producer was tasked with crafting a monumental learning stair, combining amphitheater type seating with more traditional steps to create space for small classes or assemblies. Every element of the wood-accented concrete structure had to be flawless to create a visually striking and functional installation.
“We provided honed, polished ‘panels’ to serve as the riser portions of the ‘learning stair,’ and then more traditional precast polished stair treads along the side, providing access to the larger seating areas,” says President Kevin Spilker.
The fourth-generation journeyman bricklayer and his family have built their namesake operation since 2011, when they acquired legacy architectural precast producer Conover Concrete. With continuing help from former Conover principal John Darrow, plus family members’ masonry DNA, Spilker Precast has grown to excel in specialized work—casting and finishing precision elements that meet the exacting standards of architects, developers, and builders across the Northwest.
“There aren’t a lot of people that do architectural precast. It’s labor-intensive and there’s not a whole lot of repetition. Our big contracts are all one-off projects, and they’re all very custom,” Kevin Spilker observes. The commitment to customization means the Spilker Precast team often works on high-stakes projects, he adds, where deviation from accuracy is non-negotiable and what appears on paper rarely translates to what actually exists in the field. — Wooster Products, Wooster, Ohio, 800/321-4936; www.WoosterProducts.comSpilker