2015 MIA Pinnacle Awards of Merit
Continued from May 2016
Pinnacle Award of Merit: Commercial / Exterior
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MIA Member Company: Eclad, Limited Dublin, Ireland Stone Installer Other Project Team Members: Eaton Corporation Client Pickard Chilton Design Architect John Sisk & Sons Limited General Contractor Michael Collins & Associates Architect of Record Savema S.p.a. (MIA Member Company) Stone Fabricator Eire Gramco Limited Stone Supplier Stones: Arandis Gold Granite Blanco Cristal Granite Bianco Carrara Marble |
Eclad, Limited
Dublin, Ireland
Eaton House
Dublin, Ireland
Eaton Corporation is an international power management company based in Cleveland, Ohio and operating in over 175 countries. When they established their Corporate Global Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, they were mindful of their enviable environmental record.
They had been ranked amongst the world’s most ethical companies for eight consecutive years and listed in the top 100 best corporate companies in each of the last six years.
They identified the ex-IBM Headquarters building in Dublin and commissioned American architects Pickard Chilton to develop a design solution that both respected the adjacent historical structures while being contemporary in style and performance.
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For their Global Corporate headquarters, Eaton Corporation added a new façade that harmonized with the existing Georgian surroundings while performing to the highest environmental standards. Material choice was fundamental to achieving these objectives. Arandis Gold granite from Namibia was selected after extensive investigation as the most suitable material for the façade. The 24 inch long x 2-½ inch tall x 4 inch deep honed pieces were fabricated in Italy by Savema S.p.a. Exacting standards were established for the stone as it was such a vital element of the aesthetic and technical design. |
The project retained the existing 33,000-square-foot structure, but added a new façade that harmonized with the existing Georgian surroundings while performing to the highest environmental standards. Material choice was fundamental to achieving these objectives. A strategic decision was made to use linear coursed natural stone, both for performance and appearance. John Sisk & Sons were selected as the General Contractor and worked in collaboration with Michael Collins & Associates, the local architect of record. EireGramco Limited was selected as the stone supplier and was installed by Eclad Ireland. Arandis Gold granite from Namibia was selected after extensive investigation as the most suitable material for the façade. The 24 inch long x 2-½ inch tall x 4 inch deep honed pieces were fabricated in Italy by Savema S.p.a. Exacting standards were established for the stone as it was such a vital element of the aesthetic and technical design. As a result no stones were rejected during the on-site inspection and everyone was delighted with the end result. The 16,000+ square feet of external cladding was completed in 6 months with a maximum crew of 30 men.
Pinnacle Award of Merit: Commercial Interior
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MIA Member Company: Grassi Pietre Srl Nanto, VI Italy Stone Supplier Stone Fabricator Other Project AcMe Studio Associato Architects VGC Stone Installer Stones: Pietra di Vicenza Rustic Green |
Grassi Pietre Srl
Nanto VI, Italy
Zýme Winery
Cariano, Italy
The new Zýme Winery arose from a pre-existing nucleus, an ex-quarry dating back to 1400.
Today, it is used to age wine in wooden barriques. Grassi Pietre supplied all stone elements for this project. Pietra di Vicenza Giallo Dorato was used throughout the installation — this stone was chosen because of its aesthetic connection to the stone originally found in the quarry.
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Left: Giallo Dorato was chosen for its similarity to stone originally found in the ex-quarry refitted as a winery, including an elaborate, elegant rack system used to store bottles after decanting from the aging barrels. The barrel cellar was hewn from this ancient sandstone quarry. Right: 3cm-thick Giallo Dorato was used to construct three ramps of internal stairs, installed on an iron structure and glued with stone cement. 120 square meters of Rustic Green limestone was used to pave the external entrance to the winery. |
Three ramps of internal shaped stairs were created using 3cm-thick Giallo Dorato installed on an iron structure and glued with cement. A small kitchen was built, to bring guests in a full sensorial path. Grassi Pietre also created a far-future design inside Zýme —pentagonal cells of Giallo Dorato that form “The Archive,” an extremely elegant shelving used to age wine bottles after wine has been taken out from barrels. The barrel cellar was hewn from an ancient sandstone quarry. Each cell (78 x 56 x 60 cm, weighing 85kg each) was installed with hydraulic lime glue and glass fiber net to ensure that the structure would be fully supported. This ensures that the structure will not collapse and helps reduce the risk of “domino effect collapse” in case of earthquake or the breakage of one element.
Pinnacle Award of Merit: Commercial Interior
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MIA Member Company: PICCO Engineering Concord, Ontario Canada Stone Consultant, Detailer Other Project Team Members: Gracom Masonry Limited Client and Stone Installer Government of Canada Owner Antoine Predock Architect PC Design Architect Smith Carter Architects Executive Architect PCL Constructors, Inc. Construction Manager Alabastros Aragoneses Stone Fabricator Gillis Quarries Limited Stone Supplier and Fabricator Stones: Tyndall Stone, Spanish Alabaster |
PICCO Engineering
Concord, Ontario Canada
Canadian Museum of Human Rights
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
The Canadian Museum of Human Rights is the first and only Canadian national museum built outside the nation’s capital; it was established to celebrate the evolution and future of human rights. Its purpose is to serve as a destination for all people to learn about and advocate for human rights, promote respect for others, and encourage reflection, dialogue, and action. Winnipeg, as the geographical “centre” of Canada, is a fitting location.
The design of this magnificent structure purposely incorporates many natural materials. The entranceway, deep into the earth, is meant to symbolize the roots of entry into humanity itself. Visitors are led through a complex series of vast spaces and ramps, which showcase stone in a variety of ways. Locally quarried Tyndall stone was ultimately selected for the exterior and interior main wall cladding. Basalt clad walls, floors, and columns are a stark choice but naturally align within the context of the museum’s design. Snaking gallery ramps are clad in back-lit quarried alabaster from Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, which create a dramatic effect.
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Locally quarried Tyndall stone was selected for the exterior and interior main wall cladding. Basalt clad walls, floors, and columns are a stark choice but naturally align within the context of the museum’s design. The gallery ramps use back-lit alabaster. |
The complexity of the design coupled with the use of numerous natural materials required careful integration. Three-dimensional drawings were a necessity and Autodesk Revit® was selected as the Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for the project. Deliberation and teamwork characterized the venture and in the end extraordinary technical challenges forced rewarding collaboration.
The stark beauty of this structure is undeniable inside and out. It stands as a fitting tribute toward the recognition that we are all equal and that we should be relentless in our struggles to ensure mankind expects and demands nothing less.
Pinnacle Award of Merit: Renovation / Restoration
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MIA Member Company: W. R. Weis Company, Inc. Chicago, Illinois Stone Installer Other Project Team Members: Hearn Company Client/Owner Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) Architect Eclad USA, Inc. (MIA Member Company) Stone Supplier and Fabricator A. Lacroix Granit (MIA Member Company) Stone Supplier and Fabricator Hearn Construction General Contractor Stones: Bianco Carrara Marble Aspen Gray Marble Absolute Black Granite Atlantic Black Granite |
W.R. Weiss Company, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois
John Hancock Lobby Renovation
Chicago, Illinois
Last year, W.R. Weis was contracted by Hearn Construction Company to provide a long overdue renovation to the interior lobbies of the iconic John Hancock Building in downtown Chicago, Illinois.
The lobbies were originally done with travertine, which had been stained darker by a previous owner, giving the original lobby pallet a dated look. The combination of stone and water are a beautiful part of any project, requiring a tremendous amount of coordination and precise fabrication. The water feature for this project appears standard at first glance but, as the saying goes, the devil is in the details.
This project features a customized piece of art that hangs from the ceiling, above the fountain, and interacts with the water in the pooling area of the fountain. Together the artwork and reflection from the fountain create the stars in the sky. This project took several months to complete. Bianco Carrara marble from Italy was used for the main interior floor and main walls of the fountain.
Absolute Black granite was used to intensify the mirror effect of the water inside the fountain. The new revolver and vestibule stone is Atlantic Black granite.
Description of Artwork: LUCENT (2015), commissioned by The Hearn Company, derives its name from the Latin lucere, meaning “to shine.” Created by internationally-renowned sculpture Wolfgang Buttress, this artwork represents the 3106 brightest stars visible with the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere. Simple and elegant, LUCENT measures 14 feet in diameter and is illuminated by fiber optics to create an ambient, pulsing glow. Via the integration of artistry and engineering, this piece arrives at an almost essential form; light and delicate, yet strong. A sense of infinity is implied by the double reflection between the water and the mirror-polished steel.