According to its web site, The REACH is a place where visitors, audiences, and artists can come together for collaboration, experimentation, and exploration in the spirit of President Kennedy’s vision for a new frontier for the arts. Cuviello Concrete worked with world renowned architects Steven Holl and Chris McVoy of Steven Holl Architects and the architect of record BNIM for two years during design and with Whiting Turner Construction for one year installing the Green Endurance Architectural Polished Concrete system.

Green Endurance takes the approach of materials science and engineering. Starting with the formation of raw materials into a solid concrete mass and altering the surface with chemistry and mechanics to change its performance and appearance properties. Green Endurance is unique to the concrete polishing industry by going beyond the typical planning and design components of construction. This starts during the conceptual stage of design before general contractors and construction managers are involved. Green Endurance is engineered based on the facility’s use, the amount of traffic, type of traffic, and aesthetic preferences. This information allows Green Endurance to take a material science and engineered approach in producing the concrete substrate and customizing the polishing process to deliver the required performance and aesthetics. The Green Endurance system allows an architect to specify any manufacturer's densifier, joint fill, pin hole grout, penetrating protectant, and so forth, within the Green Endurance engineered system.

It is very exciting to be part of a project of this notoriety and caliber. The job did come with many challenges but none greater than the challenge of producing a high end finish with a 20-year life cycle under the tight time constraints of today's construction. Other time consuming challenges Cuviello Concrete faced were cutting the 10,000 psi Green Endurance engineered substrate, perfectly color matching detailed filling, and patching around floor diffusers, slab edges and hydraulic glass door floor hinges to provide a clean detailed finish, seamlessly installing ¼ inch by 3/8 inch zinc strips in 167 stair nosings, and stenciling aggregate where needed to provide a perfectly consistent exposed aggregate appearance.

PROJECT DETAILS

  • Green Endurance Architectural Polished Concrete System
  • PC Class 3 Aggregate Exposure
  • CPC Level 3 Polished Appearance
  • Floor 13,782 square feet
  • Edges 2,200 square feet
  • Stairs and Risers 1,810 square feet
  • 167 stair nosings of various widths
  • Benches 274 SF
  • Zinc step nosing installation 847 linear feet

PRODUCTS USED

  • Retro Plate 99
  • Metzger McGuire SRG
  • Metzger McGuire RS88
  • Green Endurance Engineered Abrasives
  • STI Prep Master 4430's
  • Superabrasive Lavina 32's
  • Ermator Vacuums