April 19, 2010 8:36 AM CDT
Location: Burien, WA
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Ruffcorn Mott Hinthorne Stine
Owner: City of Burien
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Lara Summer
As a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Burien and the heart of the 6-parcel Town Square development, the 58,000 square foot building of masonry, natural stone, glass and metal provides a flagship regional library for the King County Library System on the lower two floors and a new City Hall for the City of Burien on the upper floor. The engaging exterior is designed to expose the programs and internal activity to passersby and to complement activities in the adjacent 1-acre park. The project opened in fall of 2009 and is on target to achieve silver LEED certification.
Location: Mt. Rainier National Park
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Fletcher Farr Ayotte
Owner: US National Park Service
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Ed Sozinho
The Visitor Center at Paradise on Mount Rainier, through its use of simple, historic forms and natural materials, is a contemporary Northwest rustic architectural expression and is compatible with the other buildings within the National Historic Landmark District. Granite was chosen from a nearby quarry for its compatibility with the existing stone masonry and for its strength and durability where the exterior is subject to snow and ice avalanching off the roof and impacting the building.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: NBBJ
Owner: Wright Runstad
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Honna Briggs Kimmerer
This 14 story, 450,000 square foot medical office building provides space for a number of key functions for King County, the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. The ground floor of the building has an active street façade facing James Street with retail shops and a main lobby adjacent to Jefferson Street. The first floors include research labs, pathology labs, outpatient imaging, the King County Medical Examiners offices, and the King County Civil Commitment Courtroom. The building’s exterior is a combination of classic “Harborview” brick at the base, punched window openings and Giallo granite columns at street level. A glass curtain wall along with metal panels, metal grilles and granite are woven together to enclose the tower, complimenting the entire Harborview campus.
Location: Tacoma, WA
Mason Contractor: J&S Masonry, Inc.
Architect: BCRA
Owner: Goodwill
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Dane Gregory Meyer
The new Milgard Work Opportunity Center at Tacoma Goodwill combines a Youth Career Center and an Adult Work Opportunity Center with Goodwill’s new administrative headquarters. The facility was designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification. Brick masonry was selected as the primary exterior cladding material for this project and is used to wrap the body of the building, while concrete is used for the base and metal siding to compliment the top floor and entrances. This combination enabled the design to take advantage of the brick’s natural color and its ability to blend with the existing environment. As seen on this building, brick can be used in both a modern and historic form as a low maintenance and long-lasting, durable material. The use of brick veneer also allows for flexibility in the cladding system that easily accommodates a variety of window opening sizes in ways other materials cannot.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Westfield Design
Owner: Westfield Group
Materials Supplier: Endicott Clay Products Co.
Photo Credit: Jim Simmons
The recent $240 million expansion of Westfield Southcenter comprises 400,000 square feet of new small shops including a new 16 screen state of the art AMC theater, Borders Books, flagship locations for H&M and XXI Forever, several fine-dining restaurants, a new dining terrace, plus two new parking structures. The expansion provided the opportunity to open up the traditional, inwardly focused mall to the exterior creating a new public face for the project and bringing new energy to the south side of the site. Aesthetically, the design goal was to create a bold new expression for the center that would address the strong regional character of the Pacific Northwest and be sympathetic to the existing structures that were to remain. The south façade, with its memorable silhouette, is a visual beacon, visible from the nearby highways. The modulation and articulation of the wall surfaces break up the massing, creating a human-scaled building. The extensive use of natural materials gives the building a sense of identity, drama and scale.
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Mason Contractor: The Henson Company, Inc.
Architect: MulvannyG2
Owner: Olympic Property Group / Costco
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Jeff Beck
The Costco at Harbor Hill in Gig Harbor rests on 17.5 acres of a 320-acre development, master-planned by the Olympic Property Group. The 152,000 s.f. warehouse is the anchor of the 23.5-acre project village comprised of five additional specialty retail buildings. The building, along with surrounding retail buildings, needed to be designed and constructed as a unified architectural expression, as required by the city. A design palette was created, integrating concrete masonry, steel, glass, and sloping metal roof forms to establish the architectural vernacular for the retail village. Five earth-tone masonry colors, in both split-face and smooth-face finish, were blended into the Costco warehouse and village design. More than 115,000 masonry units are woven into the design solution. The result is a vibrant and cohesive design which serves as a benchmark for future phases of the development.
Location: Centralia, WA
Mason Contractor: Massie & Sons, Inc.
Architect: Leavengood Architects
Owner: Centralia College
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC / Willamette Greystone
Photo Credit: Lara Swimmer
The new 70,000-sf Science Center at Centralia College was conceived in exterior masonry construction. The building houses the nursing department, science laboratories, classrooms, a 100-seat tiered auditorium, and offices. Brick masonry integrates two structural systems and gives the building a sense of weight and permanence. Brick helped in reaching the sustainable goal: LEED Gold. A special circumstance in the design, requiring the selection of brick masonry, is the elliptical-shaped 100-seat auditorium, which required a standard 2½ x 8” brick to accommodate the compound radiuses of the shape. Elsewhere, a Norman-sized brick was used. A single-color clay brick with contrasting rough and matte finishes creates the banding effect – a motif previously established to tie campus buildings together.
Location: Clinton, WA
Mason Contractor: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Schreiber, Starling & Lane Architects
Owner: Skagit Valley College
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Doug L. Scott
The new Laura Angst Hall at Skagit Valley College serves as a symbol for the revitalization of the 50-year- old campus and creates a gateway building to the college from the Mount Vernon community. The 65,000-sf, two-story building provides modern laboratories and classrooms supporting programs in physical and environmental sciences, nursing, and health occupations. The plan centers on a two-story lobby opening to a rain garden which also provides a place for student interaction and informal learning. Exterior materials relate to the campus and feature a combination of brick, metal, glass, and concrete. The project will achieve LEED Gold certification.
Location: Burien, WA
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: TCF Architects
Owner: Highline Public Schools
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Pete Eckert
Cedarhurst Elementary is a Kindergarten through Sixth Grade facility in an older, suburban neighborhood. The structure is configured in two, 2-story classroom wings, an activities wing, and an administration area with the library above and is organized by a 2-story central spine. The main exterior cladding uses brick masonry to bring richness, stability and tradition to its neighborhood and taps into people's ideas and memories about what a school should be. As a result, the building becomes an academic symbol as well as a functioning school. The unique color and pattern of the masonry is achieved through a blend of three standard colors combined with a precast base, precast trim and copper color metal siding. Additionally, a low stone wall which runs the length of the circulation spine offers a visual complement and counterpoint to the brick masonry building.
Location: Des Moines, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry
Architect: TCF Architects
Owner: Highline Public Schools
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Pete Eckert
Midway Elementary is a kindergarten through sixth grade facility consisting of classrooms, office functions, a library and activity spaces. Three linear forms are arranged in a radial pattern which responds to the site’s opposing qualities. The centripetal front of the pattern gathers the building forms into a welcoming entry court while the centrifugal back of the pattern reaches out to the play fields. Ground face CMU was chosen to achieve a clean, contemporary appearance while satisfying the client’s maintenance and durability requirements. Two colors of CMU masonry were combined to add interest and to differentiate the building functions.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Sterling Construction Company Inc. / The Henson Company, Inc.
Architect: Otak, Inc.
Owner: Sound Transit
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: John Walser
The brick masonry surfaces of the Mt. Baker Station provide a durable and easily maintained material that withstands the heavy pedestrian traffic that uses Seattle’s light rail transit system every day. This material also provides a visual connection to the community’s much-loved historic landmark, Franklin High School, which is located adjacent to the station. The back-lit glass block panels beneath the stairs illuminate the ticketing concourse at street level with a warm glow that compliments the artwork applied to the underside of the guideway. The brick and glass block masonry of the Beacon Hill Station headhouses are fundamental materials that provide longevity, durability, and ease of maintenance for a building that experiences heavy pedestrian traffic around the clock. They also give designers a means to inform the public about the building’s context as well as its functions. The back-lit, glass block panels above the elevators choreograph the movement of the cabs and enliven the plaza entrance to this deep tunnel light rail station.
Location: Tacoma, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry
Architect: GBJ Architecture
Owner: MultiCare Medical Center
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC / Interstate Brick
Photo Credit: Ecker & Eckert
The MultiCare Medical Center Central Utility Plant packages steam, emergency power, electrical distribution and medical gas systems into a building respectful of its surroundings and true to its purpose. Facing beautiful Wright Park, it embraces its setting and is compatible with nearby vintage structures. The masonry exterior keys off these buildings while street level windows offer tableaus of inner workings. Brick patterning and steel canopies modulate the facades and reduce their scale. Relief portraiture, inscriptions and brickwork mural reveal the history of the plant's technology. MultiCare' Central Utility Plant addresses its functional, aesthetic and civic obligations while offering an entertaining, educational public attraction.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: GGLO Architects
Owner: Unico Properties
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials
Photo Credit: Honna Briggs Kimmerer
The George F. Russell Jr. Hall is a six-story 64,000 square foot mixed-use project that houses office, retail, apartments and parking. This project also has a LEED Silver designation. Russell Hall is a top-tier building with some excellent green, sustainable features. Designed to fit the University District character and community, Russell Hall has an incredibly beautiful brick, precast and ground face façade. With over 90,000 pieces of brick, the unique combination of these three materials makes this building even more awe inspiring.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Studio Meng Strazzara
Owner: Admiralty Group LLC
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials
Photo Credit: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Harvard & Highland is a 38-unit, 5-building condominium project located adjacent to Seattle's Historic Harvard Belmont District. The major design goal was to create a timeless, durable project that would fit well with the neighborhood. Harvard & Highland’s design team needed to pursue a traditional, quality aesthetic to match with the surrounding homes. With the large site but low-rise (3-4 story) land use zoning, five independent buildings were created to approximate the scale of the surrounding estates,both in height and footprint. Even with the five-building design concept, the individual structures were still a good bit larger than the neighboring homes. The texture and detail of masonry enabled the design team to reduce the visual scale of the buildings. Moreover, the extensive use of masonry to include brick and cast stone elements gives this unique project a traditional, quality aesthetic which allows it to fit perfectly within the surrounding estates. The site plan concept sets the five appropriately-scaled buildings toward the edge of the site, encompassing an internal landscaped courtyard.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Dizard, Frisch & Lunch Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Stuart Silk Architects
Owner: Private Residence
Materials Supplier:
Photo Credit: Aaron Leitz
This three-bedroom home is located on the shores of Lake Washington in a quiet in-city neighborhood with expansive water and mountain views including Mt Rainier. Our clients asked us to design a timeless, enduring structure that was distinctly contemporary with a quiet but powerful presence. It was important that their home have warm feeling interior spaces that had a strong relationship with the outdoors. To avoid a cold feeling home, they requested the use of natural materials. Stone was the ideal cladding material to provide the long-term durability and performance that the owners expected. Sawn Texas limestone with a seemingly random coursing and minimal grout joint was used to give a refined and softer character. The exterior was rigorously detailed to reinforce the contemporary influence and eliminate unnecessary and extraneous elements. The result is a home that is striking in its simplicity of form.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry / R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Greif Architects
Owner: Private Residence
Materials Supplier: Wilkeson Sandstone Quarry
Photo Credit: Ed Sozinho
The owners of this property envisioned a masonry house created out of local stone and designed to accommodate passive solar heating during the winter and cooling during the summer. The feature design element of the project was a curved Wilkeson sandstone terrace base of hand faced and dimensioned stone. Throughout the masonry work, the mason added special stones with hammer markings to accent the custom stone work. This curved stone base magnifies the views of the site and provides for a south facing exposure for passive heating. Two pavilions sit atop this base and connect via an entry portal. One pavilion shelters the living areas. The other pavilion features the master bedroom suite. Stone masonry was the perfect material in both the appearance and durability needed to create a house of this scope and anticipated longevity.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Pioneer Masonry Restoration Company
Architect(s): SRG Partnership; Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
Owner: University of Washington
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company; Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel Co.; Great NW Construction Products
Photo Credit: Anita Simon
Savery Hall (ca. 1920) is among fifteen buildings selected by the University of Washington for restoration. The extensive masonry restoration included removing hazardous paint, installation of new terra cotta units, seismically retrofitting the brick veneer, repair and installation of new sandstone, and repointing and cleaning the building. The full masonry restoration culminated in the installation of newly fabricated terra cotta units, replacement of raked brick mortar joints with weathered joints to shed water, seismic retrofitting of the brick veneer, repair and installation of new sandstone, and cleaning of the building. The interior has been remodeled using several sustainable and energy efficient design strategies. Submitted to achieve a LEED Silver rating, Savery Hall is on track to receive Gold certification.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Pioneer Masonry Restoration Company
Architect(s): Jones and Jones Architects and Landscape Architects
Owner: Monterey Hotel
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company; Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel Co.; Great NW Construction Products
Photo Credit: Jeremy Imhoff
The Monterey Hotel Renovation, completed in February 2008, is a LEED Silver rehabilitation of an existing three-story masonry structure in the Pioneer Square Historic District of Seattle. Since its original 1890 construction, the building has undergone numerous changes including its most significant transformation around 1928. The current renovation, which included a full seismic and architectural building-system upgrade, reclaimed the building for the Chief Seattle Club and Monterey Lofts. As the building is sited within Seattle’s Pioneer Square Historic District, one of the project’s primary goals was to preserve the historic architectural nature of the exterior envelope and bring back to life the brickwork that had deteriorated over the years. Due to the brick material’s natural durability and longevity, the project was able to continue to utilize the 120 year old building envelope as its primary facade.
Location: Decatur Island, WA
Mason Contractor: Rick Sibley
Architect: Bosworth Hoedemaker
Owner: Brian and Lyn Grant
Photo Credit: Alex Hayden
The Nettly Wood Inglenook is a small, intimate space within an expansive Decatur Island retreat. Located within the main house, the largest of the buildings, the inglenook is tucked away off the building’s main hall across from the Dining Room providing a respite from surrounding activity. Clad with stone, and focused around a roaring fireplace, the inglenook provides a place to curl up with a book, gather with family and friends or enjoy a nap. The interior and exterior of the inglenook, including the chimney, are clad in Montana ledge stone and rubble with careful detail used to maintain the natural, strong and supportive character of the stone. The Nettly Wood Picnic Pavilion is a heavy timber and stone masonry structure that provides a gathering place to celebrate island life with family and friends. The heavy timber structure and stone masonry fireplace were designed to evoke the timelessness and craftsmanship of historical National Park structures. A massive stone fireplace anchors the pavilion. The scale of the fireplace’s stone structure and the precise detailing of the stone work create a feeling of strength and honesty in material that complement both the heavy timber structure and the natural beauty of the pavilion’s surrounding.
Location: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Ward’s Masonry, Inc.
Architect: TK Architects
Owner: Regal Cinemas
Materials Supplier: Cultured Stone by Owens Corning Masonry Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Ward’s Masonry, Inc.
The focal point of the Thornton Place commercial community, one of the first LEED-certified Neighborhood Developments in the country, is Regal Cinemas, with 3,000 seats, 14 screens, including an IMAX theater. In the interior, we used about 1,200 square feet of “Pro-Fit Ledgestone”, Southwest color by Cultured Stone. The stone supports the neon light columns at each theater’s entryway, frames the movie marquees and restroom doorways and was used to create an attractive “Guest Services” kiosk. All of these uses of “Faux” stone demonstrate the functionality, durability and versatility of the product. Masonry was the ideal choice for Regal Cinemas. Inside and out, underground and above, the combination of Cultured Stone and CMU is the perfect combination of beauty and cost efficiency.
Location: Bellevue, WA
PCC Contractor: United Professional Caulking & Restoration, Inc.
General Contractor: PCL Constructors, Inc.
The Bravern Signature Residences consist of two 29-story towers located in downtown Bellevue. From a weatherproofing standpoint, the buildings presented quite a challenge due to the multiplicity of construction materials used on the project, including precast concrete, glass and glazing, curtain wall, and metal panel cladding. High performance silicon sealants, installed by United Professional Caulking & Restoration, were used in a two-stage system to maintain adhesion during standard building movement, protect the buildings against moisture intrusion, and provide the desired aesthetic appeal. The result is a luxurious building complex that is properly protected from many of the common problems associated with weatherproofing of newly constructed structures.
2010 MIW Excellence Awards in Masonry Design
By Ross Wildman
On March 18th, more than twenty projects were honored at the Masonry Institute of Washington’s 2010 Excellence Awards in Masonry Design banquet for outstanding work in masonry building design and construction. Projects were submitted by architects and mason contractors from around the state.
Buildings throughout Washington serving a wide range of purposes were submitted for consideration this year. Honor Awards representing first-place and Merit Awards for runner-ups were given for building categories including Commercial, Residential, Educational, Institutional, Restoration, Weatherproofing and Unique Use. Top honors were given to buildings including Cedarhurst Elementary in Burien, the new Science Building at Centralia College, Sound Transit’s new light rail stations at Mt. Baker and Beacon Hill, and Westfield Southcenter Mall, just to name a few.
The judges this year included Dave Huotari of ALSC Architects in Spokane, WA; Bob Findlay, a retired Professor of Architecture at Iowa State University; Eric Anderson of Design NW Architects in Stanwood, WA; and Greg Flinders with the Portland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The Masonry Institute of Washington was established in 1972 to promote masonry construction throughout Western Washington. Besides its promotional activities, the organization serves as both an education provider and technical resource as related to masonry construction for building industry professionals in the area.
Burien Library & City Hall
HONOR AWARD; Commercial-GovernmentLocation: Burien, WA
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Ruffcorn Mott Hinthorne Stine
Owner: City of Burien
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Lara Summer
As a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Burien and the heart of the 6-parcel Town Square development, the 58,000 square foot building of masonry, natural stone, glass and metal provides a flagship regional library for the King County Library System on the lower two floors and a new City Hall for the City of Burien on the upper floor. The engaging exterior is designed to expose the programs and internal activity to passersby and to complement activities in the adjacent 1-acre park. The project opened in fall of 2009 and is on target to achieve silver LEED certification.
Mt. Rainier Visitors Center
MERIT AWARD; Commercial-GovernmentLocation: Mt. Rainier National Park
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Fletcher Farr Ayotte
Owner: US National Park Service
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Ed Sozinho
The Visitor Center at Paradise on Mount Rainier, through its use of simple, historic forms and natural materials, is a contemporary Northwest rustic architectural expression and is compatible with the other buildings within the National Historic Landmark District. Granite was chosen from a nearby quarry for its compatibility with the existing stone masonry and for its strength and durability where the exterior is subject to snow and ice avalanching off the roof and impacting the building.
Harborview Medical Center at 9th and Jefferson
HONOR AWARD; Commercial-OfficeLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: NBBJ
Owner: Wright Runstad
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Honna Briggs Kimmerer
This 14 story, 450,000 square foot medical office building provides space for a number of key functions for King County, the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. The ground floor of the building has an active street façade facing James Street with retail shops and a main lobby adjacent to Jefferson Street. The first floors include research labs, pathology labs, outpatient imaging, the King County Medical Examiners offices, and the King County Civil Commitment Courtroom. The building’s exterior is a combination of classic “Harborview” brick at the base, punched window openings and Giallo granite columns at street level. A glass curtain wall along with metal panels, metal grilles and granite are woven together to enclose the tower, complimenting the entire Harborview campus.
Tacoma Goodwill Milgard Work Opportunity Center
MERIT AWARD; Commercial-OfficeLocation: Tacoma, WA
Mason Contractor: J&S Masonry, Inc.
Architect: BCRA
Owner: Goodwill
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Dane Gregory Meyer
The new Milgard Work Opportunity Center at Tacoma Goodwill combines a Youth Career Center and an Adult Work Opportunity Center with Goodwill’s new administrative headquarters. The facility was designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification. Brick masonry was selected as the primary exterior cladding material for this project and is used to wrap the body of the building, while concrete is used for the base and metal siding to compliment the top floor and entrances. This combination enabled the design to take advantage of the brick’s natural color and its ability to blend with the existing environment. As seen on this building, brick can be used in both a modern and historic form as a low maintenance and long-lasting, durable material. The use of brick veneer also allows for flexibility in the cladding system that easily accommodates a variety of window opening sizes in ways other materials cannot.
Westfield Southcenter
HONOR AWARD; Commercial-RetailLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Westfield Design
Owner: Westfield Group
Materials Supplier: Endicott Clay Products Co.
Photo Credit: Jim Simmons
The recent $240 million expansion of Westfield Southcenter comprises 400,000 square feet of new small shops including a new 16 screen state of the art AMC theater, Borders Books, flagship locations for H&M and XXI Forever, several fine-dining restaurants, a new dining terrace, plus two new parking structures. The expansion provided the opportunity to open up the traditional, inwardly focused mall to the exterior creating a new public face for the project and bringing new energy to the south side of the site. Aesthetically, the design goal was to create a bold new expression for the center that would address the strong regional character of the Pacific Northwest and be sympathetic to the existing structures that were to remain. The south façade, with its memorable silhouette, is a visual beacon, visible from the nearby highways. The modulation and articulation of the wall surfaces break up the massing, creating a human-scaled building. The extensive use of natural materials gives the building a sense of identity, drama and scale.
Costco at Harbor Hill
MERIT AWARD; Commercial-RetailLocation: Gig Harbor, WA
Mason Contractor: The Henson Company, Inc.
Architect: MulvannyG2
Owner: Olympic Property Group / Costco
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Jeff Beck
The Costco at Harbor Hill in Gig Harbor rests on 17.5 acres of a 320-acre development, master-planned by the Olympic Property Group. The 152,000 s.f. warehouse is the anchor of the 23.5-acre project village comprised of five additional specialty retail buildings. The building, along with surrounding retail buildings, needed to be designed and constructed as a unified architectural expression, as required by the city. A design palette was created, integrating concrete masonry, steel, glass, and sloping metal roof forms to establish the architectural vernacular for the retail village. Five earth-tone masonry colors, in both split-face and smooth-face finish, were blended into the Costco warehouse and village design. More than 115,000 masonry units are woven into the design solution. The result is a vibrant and cohesive design which serves as a benchmark for future phases of the development.
Centralia College Science Building
HONOR AWARD; Education – Continuing EducationLocation: Centralia, WA
Mason Contractor: Massie & Sons, Inc.
Architect: Leavengood Architects
Owner: Centralia College
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC / Willamette Greystone
Photo Credit: Lara Swimmer
The new 70,000-sf Science Center at Centralia College was conceived in exterior masonry construction. The building houses the nursing department, science laboratories, classrooms, a 100-seat tiered auditorium, and offices. Brick masonry integrates two structural systems and gives the building a sense of weight and permanence. Brick helped in reaching the sustainable goal: LEED Gold. A special circumstance in the design, requiring the selection of brick masonry, is the elliptical-shaped 100-seat auditorium, which required a standard 2½ x 8” brick to accommodate the compound radiuses of the shape. Elsewhere, a Norman-sized brick was used. A single-color clay brick with contrasting rough and matte finishes creates the banding effect – a motif previously established to tie campus buildings together.
Laura Angst Hall
MERIT AWARD; Education – Continuing EducationLocation: Clinton, WA
Mason Contractor: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Schreiber, Starling & Lane Architects
Owner: Skagit Valley College
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Doug L. Scott
The new Laura Angst Hall at Skagit Valley College serves as a symbol for the revitalization of the 50-year- old campus and creates a gateway building to the college from the Mount Vernon community. The 65,000-sf, two-story building provides modern laboratories and classrooms supporting programs in physical and environmental sciences, nursing, and health occupations. The plan centers on a two-story lobby opening to a rain garden which also provides a place for student interaction and informal learning. Exterior materials relate to the campus and feature a combination of brick, metal, glass, and concrete. The project will achieve LEED Gold certification.
Cedarhurst Elementary
HONOR AWARD; Education – K-12Location: Burien, WA
Mason Contractor: Keystone Masonry, Inc.
Architect: TCF Architects
Owner: Highline Public Schools
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Pete Eckert
Cedarhurst Elementary is a Kindergarten through Sixth Grade facility in an older, suburban neighborhood. The structure is configured in two, 2-story classroom wings, an activities wing, and an administration area with the library above and is organized by a 2-story central spine. The main exterior cladding uses brick masonry to bring richness, stability and tradition to its neighborhood and taps into people's ideas and memories about what a school should be. As a result, the building becomes an academic symbol as well as a functioning school. The unique color and pattern of the masonry is achieved through a blend of three standard colors combined with a precast base, precast trim and copper color metal siding. Additionally, a low stone wall which runs the length of the circulation spine offers a visual complement and counterpoint to the brick masonry building.
Midway Elementary
HONOR AWARD; Education – K-12Location: Des Moines, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry
Architect: TCF Architects
Owner: Highline Public Schools
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: Pete Eckert
Midway Elementary is a kindergarten through sixth grade facility consisting of classrooms, office functions, a library and activity spaces. Three linear forms are arranged in a radial pattern which responds to the site’s opposing qualities. The centripetal front of the pattern gathers the building forms into a welcoming entry court while the centrifugal back of the pattern reaches out to the play fields. Ground face CMU was chosen to achieve a clean, contemporary appearance while satisfying the client’s maintenance and durability requirements. Two colors of CMU masonry were combined to add interest and to differentiate the building functions.
Sound Transit LINK Light Rail Mt. Baker and Beacon Hill Stations
HONOR AWARD; InstitutionalLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Sterling Construction Company Inc. / The Henson Company, Inc.
Architect: Otak, Inc.
Owner: Sound Transit
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company
Photo Credit: John Walser
The brick masonry surfaces of the Mt. Baker Station provide a durable and easily maintained material that withstands the heavy pedestrian traffic that uses Seattle’s light rail transit system every day. This material also provides a visual connection to the community’s much-loved historic landmark, Franklin High School, which is located adjacent to the station. The back-lit glass block panels beneath the stairs illuminate the ticketing concourse at street level with a warm glow that compliments the artwork applied to the underside of the guideway. The brick and glass block masonry of the Beacon Hill Station headhouses are fundamental materials that provide longevity, durability, and ease of maintenance for a building that experiences heavy pedestrian traffic around the clock. They also give designers a means to inform the public about the building’s context as well as its functions. The back-lit, glass block panels above the elevators choreograph the movement of the cabs and enliven the plaza entrance to this deep tunnel light rail station.
MultiCare Medical Center Central Utility Plant
MERIT AWARD; InstitutionalLocation: Tacoma, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry
Architect: GBJ Architecture
Owner: MultiCare Medical Center
Materials Supplier: Basalite Concrete Products, LLC / Interstate Brick
Photo Credit: Ecker & Eckert
The MultiCare Medical Center Central Utility Plant packages steam, emergency power, electrical distribution and medical gas systems into a building respectful of its surroundings and true to its purpose. Facing beautiful Wright Park, it embraces its setting and is compatible with nearby vintage structures. The masonry exterior keys off these buildings while street level windows offer tableaus of inner workings. Brick patterning and steel canopies modulate the facades and reduce their scale. Relief portraiture, inscriptions and brickwork mural reveal the history of the plant's technology. MultiCare' Central Utility Plant addresses its functional, aesthetic and civic obligations while offering an entertaining, educational public attraction.
George F. Russell, Jr. Hall
HONOR AWARD; Residential – Multi-FamilyLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Fairweather Masonry, Inc.
Architect: GGLO Architects
Owner: Unico Properties
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials
Photo Credit: Honna Briggs Kimmerer
The George F. Russell Jr. Hall is a six-story 64,000 square foot mixed-use project that houses office, retail, apartments and parking. This project also has a LEED Silver designation. Russell Hall is a top-tier building with some excellent green, sustainable features. Designed to fit the University District character and community, Russell Hall has an incredibly beautiful brick, precast and ground face façade. With over 90,000 pieces of brick, the unique combination of these three materials makes this building even more awe inspiring.
Harvard & Highland
MERIT AWARD; Residential – Multi-FamilyLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Studio Meng Strazzara
Owner: Admiralty Group LLC
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials
Photo Credit: R&D Masonry, Inc.
Harvard & Highland is a 38-unit, 5-building condominium project located adjacent to Seattle's Historic Harvard Belmont District. The major design goal was to create a timeless, durable project that would fit well with the neighborhood. Harvard & Highland’s design team needed to pursue a traditional, quality aesthetic to match with the surrounding homes. With the large site but low-rise (3-4 story) land use zoning, five independent buildings were created to approximate the scale of the surrounding estates,both in height and footprint. Even with the five-building design concept, the individual structures were still a good bit larger than the neighboring homes. The texture and detail of masonry enabled the design team to reduce the visual scale of the buildings. Moreover, the extensive use of masonry to include brick and cast stone elements gives this unique project a traditional, quality aesthetic which allows it to fit perfectly within the surrounding estates. The site plan concept sets the five appropriately-scaled buildings toward the edge of the site, encompassing an internal landscaped courtyard.
Yeslek Residence
HONOR AWARD; Residential – Single FamilyLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Dizard, Frisch & Lunch Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Stuart Silk Architects
Owner: Private Residence
Materials Supplier:
Photo Credit: Aaron Leitz
This three-bedroom home is located on the shores of Lake Washington in a quiet in-city neighborhood with expansive water and mountain views including Mt Rainier. Our clients asked us to design a timeless, enduring structure that was distinctly contemporary with a quiet but powerful presence. It was important that their home have warm feeling interior spaces that had a strong relationship with the outdoors. To avoid a cold feeling home, they requested the use of natural materials. Stone was the ideal cladding material to provide the long-term durability and performance that the owners expected. Sawn Texas limestone with a seemingly random coursing and minimal grout joint was used to give a refined and softer character. The exterior was rigorously detailed to reinforce the contemporary influence and eliminate unnecessary and extraneous elements. The result is a home that is striking in its simplicity of form.
Three Tree Point Residence
MERIT AWARD; Residential – Single FamilyLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Henderson Masonry / R&D Masonry, Inc.
Architect: Greif Architects
Owner: Private Residence
Materials Supplier: Wilkeson Sandstone Quarry
Photo Credit: Ed Sozinho
The owners of this property envisioned a masonry house created out of local stone and designed to accommodate passive solar heating during the winter and cooling during the summer. The feature design element of the project was a curved Wilkeson sandstone terrace base of hand faced and dimensioned stone. Throughout the masonry work, the mason added special stones with hammer markings to accent the custom stone work. This curved stone base magnifies the views of the site and provides for a south facing exposure for passive heating. Two pavilions sit atop this base and connect via an entry portal. One pavilion shelters the living areas. The other pavilion features the master bedroom suite. Stone masonry was the perfect material in both the appearance and durability needed to create a house of this scope and anticipated longevity.
Savery Hall
HONOR AWARD; RestorationLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Pioneer Masonry Restoration Company
Architect(s): SRG Partnership; Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
Owner: University of Washington
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company; Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel Co.; Great NW Construction Products
Photo Credit: Anita Simon
Savery Hall (ca. 1920) is among fifteen buildings selected by the University of Washington for restoration. The extensive masonry restoration included removing hazardous paint, installation of new terra cotta units, seismically retrofitting the brick veneer, repair and installation of new sandstone, and repointing and cleaning the building. The full masonry restoration culminated in the installation of newly fabricated terra cotta units, replacement of raked brick mortar joints with weathered joints to shed water, seismic retrofitting of the brick veneer, repair and installation of new sandstone, and cleaning of the building. The interior has been remodeled using several sustainable and energy efficient design strategies. Submitted to achieve a LEED Silver rating, Savery Hall is on track to receive Gold certification.
Monterey Hotel
MERIT AWARD; RestorationLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Pioneer Masonry Restoration Company
Architect(s): Jones and Jones Architects and Landscape Architects
Owner: Monterey Hotel
Materials Supplier: Mutual Materials Company; Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel Co.; Great NW Construction Products
Photo Credit: Jeremy Imhoff
The Monterey Hotel Renovation, completed in February 2008, is a LEED Silver rehabilitation of an existing three-story masonry structure in the Pioneer Square Historic District of Seattle. Since its original 1890 construction, the building has undergone numerous changes including its most significant transformation around 1928. The current renovation, which included a full seismic and architectural building-system upgrade, reclaimed the building for the Chief Seattle Club and Monterey Lofts. As the building is sited within Seattle’s Pioneer Square Historic District, one of the project’s primary goals was to preserve the historic architectural nature of the exterior envelope and bring back to life the brickwork that had deteriorated over the years. Due to the brick material’s natural durability and longevity, the project was able to continue to utilize the 120 year old building envelope as its primary facade.
Nettly Wood Inglenook and Picnic Pavilion
HONOR AWARD; Unique UseLocation: Decatur Island, WA
Mason Contractor: Rick Sibley
Architect: Bosworth Hoedemaker
Owner: Brian and Lyn Grant
Photo Credit: Alex Hayden
The Nettly Wood Inglenook is a small, intimate space within an expansive Decatur Island retreat. Located within the main house, the largest of the buildings, the inglenook is tucked away off the building’s main hall across from the Dining Room providing a respite from surrounding activity. Clad with stone, and focused around a roaring fireplace, the inglenook provides a place to curl up with a book, gather with family and friends or enjoy a nap. The interior and exterior of the inglenook, including the chimney, are clad in Montana ledge stone and rubble with careful detail used to maintain the natural, strong and supportive character of the stone. The Nettly Wood Picnic Pavilion is a heavy timber and stone masonry structure that provides a gathering place to celebrate island life with family and friends. The heavy timber structure and stone masonry fireplace were designed to evoke the timelessness and craftsmanship of historical National Park structures. A massive stone fireplace anchors the pavilion. The scale of the fireplace’s stone structure and the precise detailing of the stone work create a feeling of strength and honesty in material that complement both the heavy timber structure and the natural beauty of the pavilion’s surrounding.
Regal Cinema at Thornton Place
MERIT AWARD; Unique UseLocation: Seattle, WA
Mason Contractor: Ward’s Masonry, Inc.
Architect: TK Architects
Owner: Regal Cinemas
Materials Supplier: Cultured Stone by Owens Corning Masonry Products, LLC
Photo Credit: Ward’s Masonry, Inc.
The focal point of the Thornton Place commercial community, one of the first LEED-certified Neighborhood Developments in the country, is Regal Cinemas, with 3,000 seats, 14 screens, including an IMAX theater. In the interior, we used about 1,200 square feet of “Pro-Fit Ledgestone”, Southwest color by Cultured Stone. The stone supports the neon light columns at each theater’s entryway, frames the movie marquees and restroom doorways and was used to create an attractive “Guest Services” kiosk. All of these uses of “Faux” stone demonstrate the functionality, durability and versatility of the product. Masonry was the ideal choice for Regal Cinemas. Inside and out, underground and above, the combination of Cultured Stone and CMU is the perfect combination of beauty and cost efficiency.
The Bravern Signature Residences
HONOR AWARD; WeatherproofingLocation: Bellevue, WA
PCC Contractor: United Professional Caulking & Restoration, Inc.
General Contractor: PCL Constructors, Inc.
The Bravern Signature Residences consist of two 29-story towers located in downtown Bellevue. From a weatherproofing standpoint, the buildings presented quite a challenge due to the multiplicity of construction materials used on the project, including precast concrete, glass and glazing, curtain wall, and metal panel cladding. High performance silicon sealants, installed by United Professional Caulking & Restoration, were used in a two-stage system to maintain adhesion during standard building movement, protect the buildings against moisture intrusion, and provide the desired aesthetic appeal. The result is a luxurious building complex that is properly protected from many of the common problems associated with weatherproofing of newly constructed structures.
About the Author
Ross Wildman is Director of the Masonry Institute of Washington.
