Masonry Design Spring 2014

Spring 2014 • Vol. 5, No. 1

M a t e r i a l s • Te c h n o l o g y • Tr e n d s

FLASHING: INDUSTRY EXPERTS DISCUSS DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: 21C MUSEUM HOTEL IN BENTONVILLE, ARK.

Recycling Historic Masonry Buildings:

A Win-Win for the Public PGAL helps create two, “new” historic landmarks in Houston.

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Volume 5, Number 1

Spring 2014 | Contents

f e a t u r e s 10

Project Spotlight

21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville, Ark. A museum where the visitors don’t have to leave

By Cory Sekine-Pettite

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Materials

The Evolution of Thru-Wall Flashings for Masonry Walls One of the major systems for managing moisture within the building envelope is still thru-wall flashings. More and more, we are – correctly – looking at flashing as a complete system.

By Chris Bupp

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Materials

Masonry Flashing for Exterior Openings Moisture entering buildings has the potential to cause problems for the health and well being of the building inhabitants if the building envelope is not designed and constructed properly. Thus, the flashing of masonry for exterior openings is tremendously important to architects, engineers, and contractors.

By Joe Packhem

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Restoration & Rehabilitation

Recycling Historic Masonry Buildings: A Win-Win for the Public PGAL helps create two, “new” historic landmarks in Houston.

By Michael H. Lloyd, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com LIONHEART PUBLISHING, INC. 506 Roswell Street, Suite 220, Marietta, GA 30060 Tel: 770.431.0867 Fax: 770.432.6969 E-mail: lpi@lionhrtpub.com www.masonrydesignmagazine.com Publisher

Editor

Managing Editor

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Art Director

Assistant Art Director

On the cover: At Houston’s new Bethel Park, PGAL’s architects teamed with landscape architects at White Oak Studio to create a half-acre inner-city park with a 5,600-square-foot open-air structure enclosed on three sides by the restored masonry walls of Bethel Baptist Church.

4 Letter from the Editor 6 Industry News

Cory Sekine-Pettite cory@lionhrtpub.com Jennifer Morrell jmorrell@lionhrtpub.com Alan Brubaker albrubaker@lionhrtpub.com Jim McDonald jim@lionhrtpub.com

Online Projects Manager

Patton McGinley patton@lionhrtpub.com

Advertising Sales Director

Marvin Diamond marvin@lionhrtpub.com

Advertising Sales

columns & departments

John Llewellyn llewellyn@lionhrtpub.com

Art Shaeffer art@lionhrtpub.com

Reprints

Kelly Millwood kelly@lionhrtpub.com

Subscriptions

Amy Halvorsen amyh@lionhrtpub.com

The editorial mission of Masonry Design is to educate and inform architects, engineers and specifiers about the vital role that masonry plays in the construction markets in the United States and Canada, as well as to promote masonry and masonry systems in building design (commercial, residential, institutional and educational), interior design and hardscaping applications. With each issue, readers will become better informed of the design trends, latest materials and newest technologies that will aid them in creating better masonry projects.

40 Supplies 41 Index to Advertiser’s

Masonry Design (ISSN 1941-0975) is published quarterly by Lionheart Publishing, Inc. Subscription Rates – For a free subscription to Masonry Design and Masonry Design eNews, sign up at www.masonrydesignmagazine.com. Click on Subscribe.

Copyright © 2014 by Lionheart Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. The copyright owner, however, does consent to a single copy of an article being made for personal use. Otherwise, except under circumstances within “fair use” as defined by copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced, displayed or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, Lionheart Publishing, Inc. Send e-mail permission requests to cory@lionhrtpub.com.

40 www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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Disclaimer – The statements and opinions in the articles of this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lionheart Publishing, Inc. or the editorial staff of Masonry Design or any sponsoring organization. The appearance of advertisements in this magazine is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised.

Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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from the editor

| by Cory Sekine-Pettite

Photo courtesy of hirosatophotography.com

New York Trip

Cory Sekine-Pettite, editor To make comments or suggestions, send e-mail to cory@lionhrtpub.com.

In April of this year, I visited New York City for the first time. Even to those who know me, it took some convincing for them to accept that I never had been to The Big Apple. After all, they know that I have travelled the world, and that I have visited many parts of this country. But oddly enough, until this year, I had yet to put a pin in New York, so to speak.

My time in New York was brief – a weekend walking around Manhattan with my wife for our anniversary – but I left knowing two things: First, I will return to New York soon. Second, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of masonry as a building material. Yes, Installation view of The Modern Monument in The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller at masonry is always on my mind, and yes, The Museum of Modern Art, 2013.

Photo: Martin Seck I know that the world-renowned skyline of New York City is made up of glass, concrete, Yoshio Taniguchi was hired to bring all of these eleand steel towers. Still, I found myself less interested ments together into a more cohesive whole. I’m not in looking up at some of this country’s tallest build- alone in believing he succeeded. His idea to incorpoings; my attention was at street level, looking for rate that piano-black stone with its marvelous, brick buildings or towers with lower levels covered reflective coating truly makes the building stand out with stone tiles. Don’t call it an obsession; masonry among its steel-framed neighbors. It’s a work of art. always is in the forefront of my mind, just as when I (There’s also a great deal of priceless and inspiraused to edit a magazine about bridge design – those tional art inside.) I’m glad I finally was able to see structures always captured my attention when travMoMA in person – both the outside and the inside. eling. They still do, in fact!

During our strolls, I also noticed a few buildTo get my “fix,” I headed to the Museum of Mod- ings whose lower levels were clad in pink granite. ern Art (MoMA) in Midtown Manhattan to revel in I wondered if the stone was perhaps quarried in its façade of black granite and white marble. The Georgia. That’s an investigation for another trip. building is an amalgamation of three structures: A Until next time New York. ◗MD residential tower by Cesar Pelli and Associates, Philip Goodwin and Edward Durell Stone’s original 1939 highlights coming in building, and Philip Johnson’s 1964 addition. In 1997,

Summer ‘14 Follow our Blog: http://masonrydesignblog.wordpress.com/

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BIM Thin Stone/Brick Design & Analysis Software

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

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Industry News KLEINFELDER NAMES JANACEK AS RETAINING WALL PRACTICE GROUP LEADER Janacek has developed expertise in retaining wall design, construction and forensic evaluation.

Noel Janacek, a senior engineer well known in Texas’s architecture and engineering community, has been named Kleinfelder’s new Retaining Wall Technical Practice Leader.

Kleinfelder is an employee-owned architecture, engineering, and science consulting firm based in San Diego.

Janacek has developed expertise in retaining wall design, construction, and forensic evaluation through years

of engineering work and work with a specialty contractor. Kleinfelder has been providing investigation, design, construction, and expert forensic services to transportation and commercial clients throughout the Texas region.

“Kleinfelder’s ability to deliver integrated retaining wall services provides our clients continuity and clarity in this diverse industry,” says Janacek.

“I am excited about the opportunity to support our practitioners in continuing growth and innovation in the practice.”

The Retaining Wall Practice Group works within Kleinfelder’s Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Discipline and focuses on coordinating high quality, efficient analysis, design, and construction among geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, structural engineers, and project managers for large or complex retaining walls of all types.

The group has already built a solid record of accomplishment of providing innovative, cost saving designs, including a recent project where Kleinfelder’s retaining wall engineers saved the client $1.3 million through a

Business Briefs 360 Principal Nate Appleman Recognized as One of Sports Business’ 40 Under 40 Each year a committee of SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal editors and writers identify and honor the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40.

The 2014 class includes 360 Architecture principal, Nate Appleman, who is being recognized for his commitment and contributions to the world of collegiate athletics.

For more than 17 years, Appleman has specialized in the design of stadiums, arenas, practice facilities and athletics master plans for collegiate clients across the country. The result is more than $530 million of built work and experience that spans the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big 12, Big East, Sun Belt, Mountain West, Conference USA, Missouri Valley, and MAC Conferences. His leadership has continually resulted in facilities that position programs within a conference, add value

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and revenue for the university, and enable the school to recruit and retain top talent.

After 14 years with sports architecture firm, Populous, Appleman joined 360 Architecture in 2011, becoming the first principal at the firm recruited from an outside organization. Tom Waggoner, senior principal with 360 Architecture said he brought Appleman on because of his exceptional level of expertise and because his passion for college sports produces a unique perspective about how to pursue a project, win a project and build a project. “Throughout his career, Nate has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to his clients, immersing himself in the culture of each University,” said Waggoner. “His continued success is a reflection of his ability to repeatedly deliver projects that generate revenue,

M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

respect the traditions of the campus and make his client’s vision a reality.”

Appleman’s relationship-driven strategy has resulted in tripling the firm’s number of repeat clients and continued praise from administrators, athletic directors and coaches. “He listens and that makes him different,” said Brad Hurlbut, athletic administrator with Holy Cross, who worked with Appleman on Northwestern’s Athletics Master Plan.

“He understood our needs and connected with everyone from the central administration to the athletic directors and to the coaches and support staff.

He is truly deserving of being named among the ‘40 Under 40.’”

Current notable projects that Appleman is leading for 360 Architecture include Notre Dame’s new Campus Crossroads project, Mississippi State’s Davis Wade Stadium Expansion, Northwestern University’s new

Nate Appleman of 360 Architecture.

Photo: Eric Linebarger

Lakefront Athletics Complex, and University of Louisiana Lafayette’s stadium expansion.

The “40 under 40” awardees were recognized on March 20, 2014 at a gala event following the IMG World Congress of Sports in Dana Point, Calif.

A full list of awardees is available on Sports Business Daily’s website. ◗MD

Materials • Technology • Trends

revised design of a key retaining wall on a commercial site.

Janacek earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Texas A&M

University and his master’s from the University of Texas, Arlington. He is licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. ◗MD

SGH’S RON HAMBURGER RECEIVES 2014 WALTER P. MOORE, JR. AWARD On April 3, 2014, at Structures Congress 2014 in Boston, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger’s Ron Hamburger received the prestigious Walter P. Moore, Jr. Award. The award recognizes Hamburger’s significant contributions to the development of SEI structural codes, standards, and extraordinary dedication as a volunteer in the advancement of the practice of structural engineering.

The Walter P. Moore, Jr. Award was established in 1998 by the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers to honor Walter P. Moore, Jr. in recognition of his dedication to and technical expertise in the development of structural codes and standards.

Click here to watch the video honoring Hamburger. ◗MD

LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK AND LEGAT ARCHITECTS CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF NEW LEARN CAMPUS When LEARN Charter School Network’s young “scholars” peer out the window of their gym at LEARN’s newest campus, they experience two

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

exciting things: first, they are six stories up, and second, on the not-toodistant horizon gleams Chicago’s famed skyline, perhaps reminding

them of the entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders that they could become.

In late March 2014, a spirit of community expectation and pride filled that rooftop gym as students, parents, teachers, board members, and school partners gathered to celebrate the completion of new campus, which will continue a focus that has garnered a 93 percent college attendance rate among the institution’s alumni.

The 105,000-square-foot facility, once an abandoned warehouse in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, now stands as a community-focused learning hub that houses three schools: LEARN Excel (K-5), LEARN 7 Elementary, and LEARN 8 Middle. The brick exterior was part of the existing building; the only new addition is the gym on top of the structure.

“This is a beautiful, student-centered facility that enhances learning and stimulates the mind,” said Penelope Varnava, real estate director at LEARN Charter School Network. “The design team successfully turned a long, rectangular box into many exciting and natural lightfilled spaces. The finishes were

Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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Industry News selected with durability and lowmaintenance in mind and the MEP systems use green principles [e.g., light sensors, borrowed daylight] to underscore the schools’ environmental responsibility.”

Academic Achievement and Community at the Root The project started when representatives from LEARN and Legat Architects visited a vacant warehouse, then shared ideas during a two-day design charrette.

Project manager Len Wynter of Legat Architects said, “There was a great deal of dialogue about how to reinforce the LEARN ideals of academic achievement and community involvement when we discussed putting three schools into the building.”

Those sessions resulted in renovations that not only produced a state-

of-the-art learning environment, but also carved out light-filled corridors and student gathering spaces to inspire collaboration and a feeling of being connected to the community.

The first floor has five kindergarten classrooms, a shared multipurpose space, an art room, and the main school offices. First through fifth graders occupy the second and third floors, while middle school students attend classes on the fourth and fifth floors.

The second through fifth floors each have a central, shared technology lab surrounded by 13 classrooms.

The gymnasium that caps the facility supports LEARN’s focus on physical health, and serves as a venue for community events.

Legat Architects also designed LEARN’s Hunter Perkins and North Chicago campuses. ◗MD

ATHENA IMPACT ESTIMATOR NOW AVAILABLE TO MAC USERS The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute has announced a new option that gives Mac users access to the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings, its acclaimed life cycle assessment (LCA) software.

Mac users can now log on to the Athena server and run the software remotely. This turns the user’s Mac into an interface with the Athena system, providing seamless access to the Impact Estimator. This service is available at no cost. Although the option of running the Impact Estimator in a virtualized Windows environment on a Mac (e.g., via Parallels or Fusion) has always been available, user feedback

has indicated this is not always a satisfactory solution.

How it works Since the Athena server can only accommodate five remote users at one time, user accounts will be allotted to interested Mac users for two-week blocks of time on a reservation system.

After requesting a reservation for a user account, Mac users will receive a confirmation email containing the start and end dates of their reservation, log in information, and an instruction document for setting up their remote connection with the Athena server.

To request a reservation, click here. ◗MD

HOLCIM, LAFARGE ANNOUNCE MERGER Two of the world’s largest suppliers of building materials announced plans for a “merger of equals” that would create an industry giant with a combined $44 billion in annual revenues.

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Switzerland-based Holcim and its French counterpart, Lafarge, said the new company would be named LafargeHolcim and be based in Switzerland.

They said the merger would create the

most advanced group in the building materials industry. The two companies are already global leaders in the supply of cement, crushed stone, sand and gravel.

The plan is for Holcim board member Wolfgang Reitzle to serve as chairman of the merged entity, while Lafarge’s chairman and chief executive Bruno Lafont becomes its CEO. Seven people from each company will be represented on the board.

Reitzle, a German mechanical engineer, also has extensive experience in the automotive industry, while Lafont, a French business executive, has been with Lafarge for more than 30 years and also is a special adviser to the mayor of Chongqing, a Chinese city of 32 million.

“This merger of equals is a unique opportunity in the history of our companies,” Holcim Chairman Rolf Soiron told reporters in Paris.

The combined entity has a market value estimated at $55 billion. LafargeHolcim will dwarf the next largest cement makers, Cemex of Mexico and Heidelberg Cement of Germany.

Lafont emphasized the two companies’ complementary geography. While Lafarge has greater presence in mature North American and European markets, Holcim has a far larger reach in the faster growing markets of Asia and Latin America.

Holcim, based near Zurich, employs 71,000 people and has production sites in about 70 countries.

Paris-based Lafarge, meanwhile, employs 65,000 people and operates in 64 countries. The companies said that by combining they would “be uniquely positioned in 90 countries around the world with a balanced exposure to both developed and high-growth markets.”

They said they plan to sell off businesses in developed markets representing about $4.1 billion of revenue and businesses in developing markets worth about $2 billion of revenue.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year, subject to regulatory approval. ◗MD Materials • Technology • Trends

MASONRY STRUCTURAL DESIGN SEMINAR COMING IN MAY The American Concrete Institute is hosting a one-day seminar is for engineers, architects, specifiers, public agencies, and anyone else involved in the designing and specifying of masonry structures.

Attendees will learn to design and specify masonry structures using the 2013 edition of Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures. Discussion and comparisons of masonry provisions in earlier Codes and the International Building Code will also be presented. Practical design examples of typical masonry building elements will be reviewed as part of this informative seminar.

Earn .75 CEUs (7.5 PDHs) by attending this one-day ACI Seminar in Charlotte, N.C., on May 14, 2014. Location: Doubletree Guest Suites Charlotte/South Park, 6300 Morrison Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28211.

Topics covered This one-day seminar guides attendees through masonry design requirements while reviewing practical design examples of typical masonry structures. Instructors will review masonry design and specification provisions in the 2013 Masonry Standards Joint Committee’s (MSJC) Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures (TMS 402/ACI 530/ASCE 5), which is the primary reference in the International Building Code (IBC) for the design and construction of masonry.

Several practical design examples of typical masonry elements will be examined using the 2013 MSJC, and necessary revisions to the design examples based on modifications in the 2013 IBC will be discussed. In addition, a preview of the masonry provisions that will appear in the 2015 IBC will also be presented.

As part of this seminar, you will receive a free compilation of related ACI technical documents valued at $144 if purchased separately. In addition, non-members can receive a free 6-month ACI membership for attending a 2014 ACI Spring Seminar.

To register or for complete information, click Masonry Structural Design or contact Karen Smith at Karen.Smith@concrete.org, or 248.848.3814. â——MD

SUBMISSIONS

Do you have any good news to report? Send your press releases to the editor at cory@lionhrtpub.com. www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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A wide shot of the exterior of 21c Bentonville.

Courtesy of 21c Museum Hotels.

Photo by Rett Peek.

Courtesy of 21c Museum Hotels.

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

21C MUSEUM HOTEL

A museum where the visitors don’t have to leave

in Bentonville, Ark.

BY CORY SEKINE-PETTITE

S

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

INCE IT OPENED IN NOVEMBER 2011, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has attracted more than one million visitors to Bentonville, Ark., a once sleepy small town now known to the world as the headquarters for Walmart. Funded by $800 million in endowments by the Walton Family Foundation, the museum’s art collection spans roughly five centuries of American masterworks, from Colonial times to present day. The museum has been the impetus for revitalizing downtown Bentonville, including the addition of new accommodations for the many visitors now flocking to northwest Arkansas. Thus, the 21c Museum Hotels group took notice.

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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Photo by Ironside Photography.

Photo: 21c Museum Hotels

The exterior of 21c Museum Hotel during construction.

Photo: CB Masonry.

“21c Museum Hotel, Bentonville is our first ground-up building for 21c Museum Hotels.”

–Deborah Burke Partners

Born out of a desire to integrate contemporary art into everyday life, 21c launched in downtown Louisville, Ky., in 2006. The company has since opened a hotel in Cincinnati, and now Bentonville. 21c founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson sought to reverse the trend toward suburban sprawl by making a considerable contribution toward revitalization efforts in their hometown of Louisville. They teamed with New York City-based Deborah Burke Partners to rehabilitate a series of abandoned warehouses in Louisville into a boutique hotel and art museum, and followed that project with the redevelopment of the historic Metropole Hotel in Cincinnati. The 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville is the group’s first new building.

“21c Museum Hotel, Bentonville is our first ground-up building for 21c Museum Hotels. Unlike the Louisville and Cincinnati hotels, 21c Bentonville 12

M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

Natural Arkansas Flagstone paving accents the landscape of the hotel and bridges the gap between older construction in the area and new downtown structures.

Photo: CB Masonry.

21c Bentonville is a compilation of different styles of decorative masonry work, as well as brick veneer. www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

PROJECT TEAM Owner: 21c Bentonville, LLC Executive Architect: Polk Stanley Wilcox

The 98,000-square-foot building features 12,000 square feet of gallery space, The Hive restaurant, 104 hotel rooms, and a ballroom.

Design Architect: Deborah Burke Partners Masonry Contractor: CB Masonry, Inc. General Contractor: FlintCo Constructive Solutions Materials: Endicott IronSpot modular brick and thin brick veneer, Natural Arkansas Flagstone paving accents, Architectural Precast Total Square Feet: 98,487

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

gave us the chance to create architectural character rather than work within the framework of a historic building,” says Deborah Burke Partners on the company’s website. “We took advantage of this opportunity by composing two volumes that speak to the project’s balance as a public art museum and a private boutique hotel.”

Wilson and Brown announced the $28-million Bentonville hotel project in June 2010. The 98,000-square-foot building features 12,000 square feet of gallery space, The Hive restaurant, 104 hotel rooms, and a ballroom all housed in a single-story structure as a series of distinct, yet related volumes.

The rooms feature custom designed furniture and a neutral palette, as well as art pieces from the 21c contemporary art collection. The lobby gallery is illuminated by a clerestory.

At its heart, the 21c Museum Hotel – whose name refers to “21st century” – is a project driven by contemporary art, said company vice chairman Craig Greenberg of Louisville. “We have a wonderful design from Deborah Burke, our design architect, and think it will add to the character of Bentonville’s town square and add a lot of energy to the streets.”

According to CB Masonry, the Little Rock, Ark.-based masonry contractor on the project, 21c Bentonville was a compilation of different styles of decorative masonry work, as well as brick veneer. The artistic element of the hotel created an interesting and challenging construction project, the contractor said. The hotel features varying wall sizes, arched entries, and suspended brick ceilings. One of the aspects of the job was for CB to create a sophisticated backdrop to house the museum pieces. The hotel itself needed to look like a work of art. CB excelled at bringing the architect’s vision into reality while, at the same time, maintaining the structural integrity of the building.

Materials used in the building’s construction include Endicott IronSpot modular brick and thin brick veneer, Natural Arkansas Flagstone paving accents, and architectural precast. CB Masonry says the contrast of the dark brick with the light interior of the galleries is the perfect accent for the project. Much of the landscape of Bentonville is Old South brick, CB reports, and this allowed the hotel to bridge the gap from old construction to the new vision for the downtown area and helped to bring a connection to Crystal Bridges. ◗MD

Materials • Technology • Trends

The exterior of the structure includes Endicott IronSpot modular brick and thin brick veneer.

Photo: CB Masonry.

The hotel itself is a work of art, with different styles of decorative masonry work, as well as brick veneer defining the exterior of the building.

Photo: CB Masonry.

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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M AT E R I A L S

THE EVOLUTION OF THRU-WALL FLASHINGS FOR MASONRY WALLS

BY CHRIS BUPP

R 16

EMEMBER PAGERS? Remember cell phones the size of a shoebox? Remember when architectural drawings and details were done by hand? One thing we know for sure is that things continually change all around us. The same can be said about construction in general, and especially exterior wall assemblies. It wasn’t that long ago that we never heard the term “building envelope,” but today that term is in everyone’s vocabulary. Today, we talk about air barriers, vapor barriers, and weather-resistive barriers as part of almost every wall assembly conversation. One of the major systems for managing moisture within the building envelope is still thru-wall flashings. More and more, we are –

M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

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MATERIALS

correctly – looking at flashing as a complete system that includes numerous potential components such as drip plates (item #3), termination bars (item #1), mortar collection devices, pre-formed corners, weeps and vents.

Drip plates With The Brick Industry Association stating in its Technical Notes, “It is imperative that flashing be extended at least to the face of the brickwork,” UV-resistant membranes that can be left exposed are becoming a more popular choice. Still, the masonry industry recommends the use of a drip plate to extend the flashing beyond the outer face of the brick. Normally, this is accomplished with a stainless steel drip plate that extends approximately 3/8 of an inch beyond the face and turned down on a 30-degree angle with a hemmed edge. Aesthetics can be a major problem with stainless steel drip plates. However, newer drip plates are being manufactured with UV-resistant polymers that come in various colors to match a mortar or brick color. I have seen the elimination of drip plates on many projects because of aesthetics. In those instances, the selection of a thru-wall flashing product that can be brought flush to the outside face of the veneer is critical. As steel stud wall assemblies continue to become more commonplace, flashings are being adhered onto sheathing materials, requiring the use of a termination bar with a sealed top edge to prevent moisture from migrating behind the flashing material.

New non-asphaltic adhesives provide distinct advantages over older rubberized asphalt counterparts.

Non-asphaltic adhesives Technology and innovation have brought us many improved flashing products that are able to withstand the high temperatures in a masonry wall assembly while not being affected by ultraviolet exposure. New non-asphaltic adhesives provide distinct advantages over older rubberized asphalt counterparts of the past, such as eliminating the possibility of staining by the asphalt material, especially when using lighter colored masonry. And even more important is the concern of melting of the asphaltic products under high heat. Today’s newer non-asphaltic flashings have melting points around 300 F; thus the melting or “drool” concern would be a thing of the past.

Also non-asphaltic flashings offer compatibility with most non-asphalt fluid applied air/vapor barrier products, especially with the adoption of the NFPA 285 Fire Testing of Exterior Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components. This compatibility between the air/vapor barrier materials and asphalt-based flashings has become a major concern and problem for both designers and contractors.

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Materials • Technology • Trends

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When thru-wall flashings and detail tapes are used in conjunction with the air/vapor barrier systems, they also must be compatible with urethane and silicone sealants being used today. Once again, asphalt-based flashings fall short in this area. As we continue to look for products to be used in a cavity wall application that are less flammable and offer greater compatibility with adjacent materials, non-asphalt flashings have surged in popularity.

If you were designing a long-term structure and looking for a “life of the building� flashing product, historically you would have turned to hard metal materials such as stainless steel and copper. Typically, stainless steel flashing systems have been 26gauge material, which is pre-bent off site based on architectural detail drawings and shipped to the jobsite. Once at the job, the stainless pieces would then be joined together like a big jigsaw puzzle and either soldered or “glued� together to create a watertight system. As you can imagine, this system was very labor intensive, and many times extremely difficult to install properly.

Today, new thinner gauge stainless steel flashing products (item #2) have made their way into the market. They still offer the advantage of a material like stainless steel, but with the ability to bend and shape the product in the field,

Copper laminated flashings have been around for many years, and at one time, were the top-selling flashing type.

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they are installed very much like most membrane flashings. These stainless steel flashing products also are offered with a nonasphalt adhesive similar to a peeln-stick. Just think, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;life of the buildingâ&#x20AC;? flashing that is easy to install!

Copper laminated flashings Copper laminated flashings have been around for many years, and at one time, were the topselling flashing type used in commercial construction. In the past, the copper material was protected from damage with a woven mesh and a secondary waterproof layer called â&#x20AC;Ś you guessed it, asphalt. The asphalt coating has again been replaced with a clear protective coating that offers a non-staining high temperature layer and is much more UV resistant than the older asphalt

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version. And just like the stainless steel, the newer, clear-coated copper laminated products are now compatible with an air/vapor barrier as well as urethane and silicone sealants. A peel-n-stick version of copper laminate products is available with the non-asphalt adhesive.

Peel-n-stick membrane flashings have become extremely popular mainly because they are easy to install – and also cost-effective. These membrane products have a “carrier” made of polyethylene or similar material.

Historically, the adhesive used was rubberized asphalt, which could provide waterproofing and self-sealing characteristics. However, many projects all across the country have experienced the dreaded “drool” of melting asphalt. Therefore, the non-asphalt adhesives have become increasingly popular. Detail tapes used at door and window openings must use membrane materials and non-asphalt adhesives that can provide compatibility and good adhesion with sealants to maintain the continuity of the barrier system.

The main goal of any flashing system is to get the moisture out of the wall. Whatever flashing material is used, we accomplish this with the use of weeps located at every flashing line.

‘Install-ability’ of the materials When discussing thru-wall flashing materials, one of the most important criteria should be the “install-ability” of the material with the success of the system largely related to the proper installation in the field. Certainly, a good, high-quality material is essential, but I would argue that just as essential is the ability for the contractor on the jobsite to be able to work with the material and create a total watertight system that includes numerous detail points at inside/outside corners, head and sills of window openings, elevation changes and other transitions. Today, these detail points can be accomplished with preformed detail shapes at inside and outside corners, plus end dams at door and window openings.

These preformed shapes make the installation of the flashing system much easier and can dramatically minimize failures at those crucial points. With the development of improved adhesives that can be used with membranes and metal products, the choices of quality and easily installed flashings continues to grow.

Weeps and vents The main goal of any flashing system is to get the moisture out of the wall.

Whatever flashing material is used, we accomplish this with the use of weeps located at every flashing line. Traditionally, plastic tubes and cotton cords were installed 16 inches on center, but they have become much less popular recently, and are giving way to full-height weeps made of honeycomb plastic, aluminum

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

or synthetic mesh spaced 24 inches on center. These more common products are installed into the vertical head joint of the brick course on top of the flashing.

Many of these new materials come in various colors to match a mortar color.

The cavity area must be kept open and unclogged at the flashing line to allow any accumulated moisture to be able to fall to the weeps via gravity and exit out of the wall. The mason contractor placing a wooden board at the bottom of the cavity had accomplished this in the past, and after a number of rows of brick were installed, this board would be raised up and out of the cavity with any excess mortar droppings being removed to keep the cavity area clean. Today’s mortar collection devices provide a similar level of protection with the use of mesh or grooved materials that will collect the excess mortar droppings while still providing a pathway for moisture to exit the wall. These collection devices MUST be placed at every location within the wall assembly where flashing has been installed. The key factor in a quality product is something that will not clog or potentially create a dam or blockage within the wall. Woven mesh products perform this function quite well.

Another major development in our industry related to moisture management is the concept of ventilating the cavity air space through the use of vents at the top of a cavity wall section in addition to the weeps at the bottom of the section. This combination allows for the circular movement of air in and out of the cavity to allow materials within the wall to dry out. The masonry industry now recommends a 2-inch air space behind the brick to provide a clean, open area for any moisture to more easily work its way to the bottom of the cavity, onto the flashing material and out through the weeps.

Ventilation can be accomplished through the use of similar weep-type materials or open head joints. This ventilation concept also lowers the air pressure differential between the outside air and the air with the wall assembly, thus slowing down the moisture drive into the wall.

Obviously, masonry wall design has become increasingly more complex with so many components coming together in the wall assembly. Designers and specifiers must look at all of the various materials and how they interact with each other to provide a complete system approach that can accomplish all the requirements of the 21st century structure. Component manufacturers must be keenly aware of how all of these products must effectively function together, and not just understand their own particular product.

Contractors have the ultimate responsibility of constructing these complicated wall systems to manage moisture and give the owner a building that performs up to today’s high-performance standards. While the products of the past served their purposes, technology has brought us improved products using materials that still are user-friendly, but now can answer the biggest concern in our industry today … compatibility. ◗MD Chris Bupp is director of architectural services for Hohmann & Barnard and has been involved in the construction industry for more than 28 years with the building envelope as his primary area of expertise. Chris has worked as an independent manufacturer’s rep, a sales manager for a masonry related product company, and as a national speaker and writer on the subject of masonry wall design.

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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M AT E R I A L S

MASONRY FLASHING FOR EXTERIOR OPENINGS

BY JOE PACKHEM

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OISTURE ENTERING BUILDINGS has the potential to cause problems for the health and well being of the building inhabitants if the building envelope is not designed and constructed properly. Thus, the flashing of masonry for exterior openings is tremendously important to architects, engineers, and contractors.

Exterior doors and windows are gaps in the wall where the moisture drainage cavities are terminated. Water moves through exterior wall elements based on the porosity, a measurement of the small holes that allow air or liquid to pass through objects. When air enters the building, it is seen as leakage, and when moisture enters the building it is permeable. Parapets, openings, masonry units, and foundation bases could allow moisture to get inside the wall.

Constant moisture alone can be accommodated; however, trapped moisture has a chance to freeze and thaw on the inside of the wall, causing damage as well as efflorescence. Flashing of parapets and openings are the primary defenses of a wall system to channel the exit of the moisture.

Openings in the wall for windows and doors require structural designs to transmit the load to the edges of the opening with lintels or arches. The weight of the wall above the opening can be carried across the span by steel, concrete, or masonry. Different lintel materials and shapes affect the flashing for the moisture control of the opening. Lintels

M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials â&#x20AC;˘ Technology â&#x20AC;˘ Trends

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MATERIALS

FIGURE 1: Load bearing lintel detail with end dam shown over the flashing for clarity.

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

are designed based on many factors including the span, load, and whether arching action occurs in the masonry above the opening.

There are three different types of flashing that can be used to prevent moisture penetration: metal, composite, and plastic (elastomer). Designing flashing for the duration of the structure plays a key role in determining the type of flashing to use. Steel and copper are the metal alternatives, which provide the best durability/longevity in the wall. These also are the most expensive choices, but are great for buildings with more than a 100-year design life such as many publically funded projects. Note that copper flashing can stain the bricks over time as the metal oxidizes.

Because of this potential discoloration to the masonry exterior, composite materials have been created to laminate to the copper. The adhesive bond between the copper and plastic film may shrink or separate over time.

Aluminum flashing with a laminate is workable, and can be cut with scissors.

Plastic (elastomeric) flashings, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), and Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) are synthetically manufactured. They have trouble when installed in lower temperatures, especially PVC. However, they are easy to fix when torn, or otherwise damaged, and can stick to themselves to allow easy overlaps for installation if bought in the peel n’ stick form.

End dams are one of the most important parts of the flashing system. They prevent lateral movement of moisture, and protect the sides of an opening from water penetration.

Joe Pullara, technical reviewer of FGM Architects, prefers to “place end dams at the edge of the lintel, past the openings.”

This is good practice, but hard to show in a two-dimensional drawing. Typically, a wall cross-section would be used to display the design on the lintel, including the moisture control with flashing. This view makes it difficult to identify end dams, and if they are not shown on the drawing, they may not be installed in the wall construction.

Take a look at Figure 1 of a window lintel with the end dam shown over the flashing for clarity, although in reality the end dam is placed first. Pat Conway, AIA, of the International Masonry Institute (IMI) said: “Components of the flashing system should be installed shingle-style. Since some end dams do not have adhesive backing, it is important to install [them] under the thruwall flashing to better prevent moisture from moving laterally under the end dam.” To prevent installation error, it is good practice to detail end dam installation first.

Dale Kent’s experience comes from masonry restoration, and he now works with Facilities Engineering, Inc. “The wall I prefer to deal with is triple wythes of brick with arches on the openings,” he said. “The arch’s slope acts to direct the moisture away from the opening. Flat steel angles or I-beams allow places for moisture to pool above the opening, causing problems for the lintel. We typically will go in to repair that area, and often weld a plate at the crux of the steel shape. Then we will weld a new plate at an angle to pitch the moisture toward the weep vents.”

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Because of cost constraints, it is uncommon to see three wythes of masonry in new construction, and likewise pitching the steel toward the exterior of the building requires specialty shapes that increase the cost. Knowledge of moisture movement is essential to funneling moisture out of an exterior wall.

Water requires a 2-percent grade, or one inch in elevation for every four feet of distance to move off a surface. Arches provide a natural method for moving moisture away from the opening. Curved arches require less maintenance over time compared with steel lintels with flat bases.

The main escape point for moisture from the wall is through weep vents.

The Masonry Advisory Council (MAC), as well as the IMI, and Brick Industry Association (BIA) recommend using weep vents. Tubes and ropes are not recommended for adequately transmitting moisture out of a wall. Cell vents typically are placed at the head joint of exterior brick and have small holes to allow moisture to escape while preventing bugs, and other debris from entering the head joint.

Weep vents are great for removing water that is in their immediate vicinity, which MAC recommends being placed at 24 inches on center (tighter than the code required minimum). However, as discussed earlier, moisture will not move without having a pitch of 2-percent grade. This means that moisture in between weep vents will have trouble escaping if the moisture level is low.

Immediately following rain events, there would be enough moisture to provide the hydraulic head to push the water out of the weep vents through gravity, but as the height of water in the wall lowers, the amount of hydraulic head (hydrostatic force) diminishes. Without pitching of the steel toward the weeps, or toward the exterior of the building, small amounts of water still will remain in the wall pooled on the flashing.

During the construction process, mortar tends to fall into wall cavities when masonry units are laid, and the probability of mortar in the cavities increases greatly above two stories of height.

Colin Munro, the first executive director of the Illinois Masonry Institute (now known as the Masonry Advisory Council) said: “It is good to run the flashing up the wall higher than the mortar net.”

Running the flashing up the inside face of the cavity wall prevents any pooling moisture on the mortar droppings to enter the back-up wall, and eventually the building interior. Refer to Figure 2 for more clarity on the interaction between flashing level and the height of the mortar net in the cavity.

Mortar also can cause problems with moisture control where mortar fins protrude into the cavity, and can create a terminus in the cavity allowing moisture to pool. A necessary element of a wall that manages moisture is the air space, which allows the moisture to move in the wall to the drainage area above the openings.

The minimum required air space in the Masonry Standard Joint Committee (MSJC) Code is one inch; however two inches is a good recommendation to provide air flow, and moisture drainage.

According to Kent, “Stainless steel creates a bond break at the sill, and with the fleece side up provides a continuous drainage plane. There also is no galvanic action between stainless steel and copper drip edges.” Receding the copper flashing into the wall will prevent the copper oxidation from staining the brick visibly when used with a stainless steel drip edge.

“It’s good to run the flashing up the wall higher than the mortar net.”

–Colin Munro

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A good detailing and installation technique is to apply the drip edge with caulking first, and then to apply the flashing over the drip edge receded one inch from the face of the facade.

Architects generally send their preliminary plans to engineers with the lintel material, shape, and location drawn in for the structural engineer to design.

According to Barry Pecho, P.E., S.E., the senior structural engineer at Smith LaSalle engineering firm, collaboration is important.

“A designer will try and design the lintel to fit the shape that the architect has defined, and the most productive design for masons in the field,” Pecho said. “It is not uncommon to size beams based on the coursing of the masonry, or to try and replace a course of masonry in the wall with the lintel.”

The structural engineer and the architect, while collaborating to refine the design, should discuss the deflection of the lintel in regards to moisture control.

Longer spans, and spans with heavier load cause more deflection of the lintel.

For example, L-angles typically deflect more than I-beams. Over the lifespan of the lintel, the steel will deflect. This deflection adds pitch to the beam toward the center that can be used to channel water.

“It is advisable to add two weeps closer together in the middle of a steel lintel where the water pools,” Pecho said. Arches also move the moisture to the edges.

The water will run down the arch until the point where the thrust will be applied to the wall, the crux at the base of the arch. Target this area with an end dam and place a weep there to channel out the built up moisture.

Engineers seeking to design more masonry-arched openings should look toward BIA Tek note 31A, and “The Masonry Arch” by Jacques Heyman.

Lastly, the IMI has a technical brief on the flashing of arches, “Tech Brief 2.7.5 Flashing Installation: Special Conditions steeped Foundations, Arches, and Pitched Roofs.” ◗MD

FIGURE 2: Properly detailed lintel with concrete masonry back up, and brick veneer.

Joe Packhem is a staff engineer for The Masonry Advisory Council. He is available to answer technical questions, and provide resources to those in the masonry industry.

For advice, please contact Joe by email jpackhem@maconline.org, by phone at 1847-297-6704, or by mail at 1440 Renaissance Dr., Suite 340, Park Ridge, IL 60068. www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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RECYCLING HISTORIC MASONRY BUILDINGS: A Win-Win for the Public ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF PGAL.

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Materials • Technology • Trends

PGAL helps create two, “new” historic landmarks in Houston.

www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS TWO “NEW” HISTORIC LANDMARKS: Masonry buildings carefully restored, renovated and repurposed to tell stories of the city’s past while providing much needed community resources for today’s Houstonians.

In both cases, success was derived from close collaboration between civic leaders and project teams that included not only design and construction firms with prior restoration experience, but also specialists in such disciplines as historic preservation, archeology, and masonry restoration.

BY MICHAEL H. LLOYD, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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RESTORATION & REHABILITATION

Bethel Park – After

Bethel Baptist Church - Before

A unique “museum park” At Houston’s new Bethel Park, PGAL’s architects teamed with landscape architects at White Oak Studio to create a half-acre inner-city park with a 5,600-squarefoot open-air structure enclosed on three sides by the restored masonry walls of Bethel Baptist Church. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the church was founded in the 1890’s and is located in what was once called Freedmen’s Town, a post-Civil War Houston neighborhood founded by freed slaves. The church had three successive sanctuaries on the same site with the most recent designed by James M. Thomas, a prominent architect of African-American churches. It was devastated by fire in 2005.

The City of Houston purchased the property in 2009 and installed temporary bracing to stabilize it for future park conversion. All that physically remained of the 34

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Materials • Technology • Trends

building was the interior concrete floor, concrete support columns, and four walls without a roof to connect them.

In addition to restoring the building’s front and side brick walls, the $4.2-million restoration/repurposing project installed a cathedralstyle permanent bracing structure of galvanized steel columns and open web gable-shaped trusses to provide a visual “roof” form that aesthetically re-creates a church atmosphere. The structure reinforces the walls without obscuring light and views to the open sky. It also creates side aisles, nave, and altar, with an ordering system similar to classic cathedral design.

Designing the new structural steel frame to support masonry walls required careful coordination with wall restoration activities. Upper portions of the original CMU walls were patched and repainted. New, secondary CMU walls were added at lower levels where the original clay block walls were severely damaged. The new column placement is set off the original walls to prevent conflict with the building’s perimeter foundations, but close enough to reinforce and tie into original walls, using a series of brace points up the façade walls.

The original brick veneer was secured to the back-up CMU walls with thousands of stainless steel helical brick ties, pinning the brick in place. After the brick ties were placed, exterior mortar joints were completely tuck-pointed. Interior walls were treated with a 2-inch reinforced Ferrocement painted stucco finish that provides added lateral support, protection for back-up CMU and clay block, and a subtle monolithic aesthetic.

The majority of the church’s back wall, damaged beyond repair, was removed.

In its place is a steel and glass screen, enabling visitors to sit on the new brick and limestone pew-like benches inside the former sanctuary and enjoy open access/view to an adjacent garden area. This rear screen wall has large sliding doors that open during park hours and close to secure the park at night.

(The) project installed a cathedral-style permanent bracing structure of galvanized steel columns and open web gableshaped trusses to provide a visual “roof” ...

Side View - Before

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Spring 2014 | M a s o n r y D e s i g n

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RESTORATION & REHABILITATION The magnificent Late Gothic-Revival front façade was preserved and restored. It still serves as the structure’s formal entrance and has a dynamic streetside presence.

The fragility of original walls was challenging: “We had to avoid damaging the existing brick and repair any damaged brick. A particular challenge was finding new brick that matched the historical brick,” recalled Donni Craig, project superintendent for general contractor JE Dunn Construction.

Project elements also included redesigning the original window openings to house new galvanized steel window frames. Marigold and purple poly-resin glass panels were inset in both window and door openings, as well as on the south side screening structure. These reference the church’s original stained glass and glass block elements, which had been destroyed.

Related site amenities, outside the church footprint, include raised fountains, seat walls, benches, lighting, drinking fountain, fencing, landscaping and irrigation.

Noted White Oak Studio’s James Patterson: “The view is focused on the south end of the space where a low, raised platform is flanked by two gurgling limestone fountain basins. The central lawn is synthetic turf to accommodate heavy use and limited sunlight. Surrounding walks combine simple, etched concrete with red clay pavers that recall the neighborhood brick streets paved by the early 20th century African-American community. The park is configured so the ‘interior’ can be locked after-hours to prevent vandalism.”

“Museum” elements include interpretive panels with photos and text, mounted throughout the space that celebrate Bethel’s history, architecture and leadership, and chronicle African-Americans’ struggles and triumphs. These panels reflect the extensive archeological and historic research conducted to make the park a truly educational resource. Frames for the panels are made of galvanized steel and are designed to mimic the shape of the church’s windows. They measure 72 inches by 14.25 inches each and are hung in pairs. Other panels display a vast collection of historical photographs and information on the evolution of Bethel Church, church leadership, the community at large, and the civil rights movement.

Bethel Park, located in a strongly gentrified area, proclaims this historic site as hallowed ground to generations now silent but present through the retelling of their story. It helps anchor a community to a proud past to which many current and future residents might otherwise never be exposed.

Inside Wall View - Before

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Materials • Technology • Trends

Leonel J. Castillo Community Center

Leonel J. Castillo Community Center - Before From eyesore to community center Restored and repurposed almost simultaneously with Bethel Park, the $2.6-million Leonel J. Castillo Community Center project converted an important historic structure – a 1919 elementary school – into a much needed community asset, a 12,500square-foot, community center offering health, education and social programs for today’s inner-city seniors, veterans and children. Residents strongly supported the conversion to new use and contributed significantly to its overall look, which is aesthetically integrated with the community that surrounds the building today.

One of the city’s earliest elementary schools, the Robert E. Lee Elementary School, was designed by well-known Houston architect Alfred C. Finn. The Houston Independent School District closed the school in 2002. Vacant for 10 years, the building was damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008, rendering the space unusable and badly damaging or destroying its most important historic architectural elements.

Originally, Harris County wanted to fully restore the school, but the cost was prohibitive. Its redevelopment as a community center was funded by a federal grant from the General Land Office (GLO). The goal was twofold: First, to retain www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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RESTORATION & REHABILITATION and restore as many original elements as possible of a structure, which had long been a source of community identification and pride; and second, to create a highly functional facility that meets the community’s contemporary needs.

To achieve the first goal, a thorough study was done to document and evaluate every aspect of the original building. As a result, three of the building’s original clay masonry walls (front and sides) were deemed salvageable. Once it was determined to preserve and restore these three perimeter walls, the remainder of the deteriorating building was carefully demolished in order not to damage or potentially collapse the historic walls. A new, secondary independent steel frame structural system was designed in the interior perimeter to brace, anchor, and stabilize the three masonry walls. The original windows and doors were damaged beyond repair or restoration, but were historically reconstructed to match all historic profiles and details.

The three-sided entry portico, the structure’s most historically important and defining feature, was deemed structurally unstable to preserve or restore. PGAL’s solution to preserving the entry was to accurately document all elements with laser scanning, salvage and restore masonry pre-cast elements, demolish deteriorated portico walls, and reconstruct the entry to historic specifications. Masonry pre-cast columns, capitols and cast stone parapet cartouche were cleaned, patched and injected with epoxy as necessary to properly repair and preserve to their original condition. They were then coated with protective material and re-installed onto the new walls. The arch elements also are historically correct but new.

“Preserving the almost 100-year-old architectural cast stone masonry elements was an integral part of the project’s historical renovation. In particular, the salvaging, restoration and reinstallation of a 300-pound decorative cartouche was a quintessential part of the building’s portico historical reconstruction,” noted Laif Nilson, JE Dunn Construction’s project manager.

The structure has three different foundation types (slab on grade, elevated slab/crawl space, and foundation over a basement), which posed unique detailing challenges for the foundation strengthening. The old asphalt and wood frame roof was replaced with a metal frame, single-ply roof membrane with insulation. Due to the delicate condition of the walls, the roof had to be replaced section by section, with the walls shored up to prevent collapse and reduce cracking. Tie-ins with the standing, existing walls were created for additional stability. Also challenging was developing architectural detailing of structural framing to retain and strengthen the existing historic perimeter clay masonry walls.

Exterior View - Before

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Materials • Technology • Trends

Interior Views

To address the project’s second goal – adaptive reuse – PGAL worked closely with community residents and Harris County to gear the space for desired uses.

Today, the center, operated by Houston Neighborhood Centers, houses a 500person assembly room, two smaller meeting rooms, a warming kitchen, and a staffed reception lobby area. It also includes a museum room with information about Robert E. Lee Elementary, original architect Alfred Finn and the late civil rights leader and City Commissioner Leonel J. Castillo, for whom it is named.

The original central corridor layout is retained, along with salvaged and restored wood floors in the museum. The building’s original exterior blueand-white color palette was replaced at the community’s request with strong terra cotta tones to better visually integrate with the colors, cultural traditions and aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhood as it appears today. Interiors are painted in bold yellows, greens and oranges, with rustic-colored, stained polished concrete flooring. Lay-in acoustical ceilings were dropped in at 9.5 feet in the central corridor and community room, but receded 3 feet from the historic walls so the original tall window openings are not obscured. In other areas, ceilings are at 16 feet, open to the structural supports, which are painted white.

The Robert E. Lee Elementary School was for decades a source of local community pride.

It is now a new source of pride because it provides a vibrant place for residents of all ages to meet, learn, and share. Its location at the confluence of I-45 and I-10 on the north side of downtown puts it in an ideal position to build community and connect neighborhoods that are divided by a highway.

The project was designed and built to energy-efficient and “green” standards, including strong daylighting, recycled new materials, reuse of existing materials and use of an existing building footprint. Moreover, it has replaced a deteriorated, vacant building that was a potentially dangerous “attractive nuisance” and replaced it with something that is a very strong community asset, improves neighborhood aesthetics, and enhances the quality of life in the area. ◗MD

The original windows and doors were damaged beyond repair or restoration, but were historically reconstructed to match all historic profiles and details.

Michael H. Lloyd, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a principal with PGAL, headquartered in Houston with offices in Atlanta; Alexandria, Va.; Austin, Texas; Boca Raton, Fla.; Boston; Dallas; Las Vegas, Nev.; Los Angeles; and Mexico City, Mexico. www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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Supplies

| Brick, Block & Stone

From thin brick to full brick to pavers, no matter what your needs may be, manufacturers constantly are improving and expanding their offerings. Presented here are a few examples of new brick, block and stone options for your design needs. To get your goods or services featured in the department, contact Editor Cory SekinePettite at cory@lionhrtpub.com.

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1 Watershed Block http://watershedmaterials.com Watershed’s goal is to make a durable building block from natural materials. Watershed blocks are made of locally sourced earth and recycled aggregates. They have the visual complexity of sedimentary rock with a shape and design criteria that fit seamlessly into current masonry building typologies – big change, small carbon footprint, the company says.

Watershed Blocks are manufactured using a proprietary process and activator that actually fuse soil grains and fragments of rock together into a type of sedimentary rock. The result is a rectangular, hollow-celled “industrial stone,” as strong as a concrete block yet with a character, tone, and resonance that expresses local site attributes and adds beauty and depth to architectural designs.

Each 8-inch block weighs approximately 30 pounds, has a dry compression strength greater than 1,900 psi (ASM C-90 compliant), a thermal conductivity rating from 0.81 – 0.93 W/m°C, and an acoustic reduction between 40-50 dB (40 cm wall 500Hz).

2 Fast Track Stone™ www.ibpglassblock.com

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M a s o n r y D e s i g n | Spring 2014

Innovative Building Products (an Acme Brick company), a leader in glass block and glass floor installation systems, has introduced Fast Track Stone (FTS), a patent-pending system used for installing thin pre-cut stone panels. The company says its system can transform a basic building into a structure of elegance and warmth – with this time-saving installation method. This system combines the use of extruded aluminum support channels, clips and stone panels for a complete installation package.

The Fast Track Stone pre-engineered system utilizes masonry panels in both 1-1/4” and 1-1/2” thicknesses. Stone panels are available in standard and custom sizes along with corner units that give the appearance of full-bodied stone units. IBP’s sister company, Texas Quarries, fabricates a range of natural limestone panels for use with FTS. Manufactured stone panels in a variety of sizes and colors are available as well.

Fast Track Stone can help builders and architects achieve LEED objectives, the company says. Aluminum channels and clips have at least Materials • Technology • Trends

25 percent post-consumer recycled content, and the entire system can be dismantled and re-purposed as the building’s usage changes.

Additionally, the system offers all the longevity and minimal maintenance of traditional laid in place stone.

3 Q-LITE CMUs www.qliteblock.com Q-LITE® Quality Lightweight concrete masonry units are manufactured using Rotary Kiln Expanded Clay lightweight aggregates produced by Big River Industries, Inc., the nation’s largest producer of expanded clay aggregates. Big River Industries’ aggregate, called Riverlite, are manufactured in accordance with ASTM C 331, “Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Concrete Masonry Units.” In addition, Big River Industries’ lightweight aggregate fines are classified as a recovered material that contributes to the recycled content of concrete masonry units, thereby contributing to potential LEED® certification of building projects.

4 Super Scotty “Smart Brick”

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advertiser’s index page#

company-phone-website

www.hebronbrick.com Less cutting, less mortar, less labor, easy measuring, what more can you ask from a brick size? The new Super Scotty size from Hebron Brick is literally a new dimension in brick, the company reports. The Super Scotty is the same height and depth as a traditional Scotty, but 1/3 longer. This specific increase in length brings amazing advantages, Hebron says, including: • Fewer cuts are needed because standard Scotties can be used as starters.

• 12” lengths (with 3/8” joints) are easy to measure and calculate reducing chances of costly errors.

• Heights still course out every 16 inches.

• More clay in the wall means less mortar used.

• More square footage covered per manhour.

• The cost advantages of laying a larger unit with the smaller unit look.

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Amerimix www.amerimix.com

888.313.0755

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Hohmann and Barnard, Inc. www.h-b.com

800.645.0616

20-21 Krando Products www.krando.com

610.543.4311

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Laticrete International, Inc. www.laticrete.com/mvis

800.243.4788

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Mortar Net Solutions www.mortarnet.com

800.664.6638

C4

The Quikrete Companies www.quikrete.com

800.282.5828

24-25 SPEC MIX, Inc. www.specmix.com 9

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888.773.2649

Tradesmen’s Software www.tradesmens.com

800.494.4899

Wirebond www.wirebond.com

800.849.6722-NC 800.441.8359-TN

With its inherent cost savings over comparable sizes, the Super Scotty size easily earns its reputation as the “smart brick.” ◗MD www.masonrydesignmagazine.com

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