Slippery Rock Gazette

The Marble Institute of America’s prestigious Pinnacle Awards honor stone companies around the world for projects that stand out above the rest.  

Again this year, the award’s sponsor, Marmomacc, will present a Grande Pinnacle Award to an architect from the firm involved with the winning project. In addition, that architect will win a trip to Marmomacc to attend Veronafiere’s week-long continuing education program on designing with natural stone.

Also again this year, all Pinnacle Award of Excellence and Award of Merit winners will have the opportunity to invite an architect from the firm involved in their winning project to StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2014. With the generous support of Hanley Wood Exhibitions, these award-winning architects receive 3 nights lodging in Las Vegas.

Marmomacc will invite the winning architects to take part in a full-day educational program held during StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas.

Judging the numerous entries was a challenging task. The final selection was for the coveted Grande Pinnacle Award, which honors the top overall project. This award is sponsored by Marmomacc, held in Verona, Italy.

2013 Pinnacle Awards Judges:

Kent Duffy, FAIA

SRG Partnership

621 SW Morrison St., Suite 200

Portland, OR 97205

Steve Poland

Ankrom Moisan Architects

6720 SW Macadam Ave.

Suite 100

Portland, OR 97219

Christian Pongratz

Pongratz Perbellini Architects

VRoooMSTUDIO

Via d.a. tridentina 9

37057 s.g.l. Verona, Italy

Michael Twiss

Immediate Past President

Columbia Stone, Inc.

18880 S.W. Teton Ave.

Tualatin, OR 97062

Chuck Muehlbauer

Technical Director

Marble Institute of America

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

Welfare Island, East River, New York, New York

MIA Member Company: 

North Carolina Granite Corporation

Mount Airy, North Carolina

Stone Supplier

Stone Fabricator

Other Project Team Members: 

Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, Inc.

Client

Louis I. Kahn, FAIA

Architect

Mitchell Giurgola Architects

Architect of Record

F.J. Sciame Construction

Construction Manager

Port Morris Tile & Marble Corporation

(MIA Member Company)

Stone Installer

Stone:

Mount Airy® Granite

In 1973, Welfare Island, a two-mile long strip of land in the center of the East River of New York City, was renamed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the southernmost four acres were dedicated as a memorial for him, designed by the preeminent architect Louis I. Kahn.

This is a very late work of Kahn’s and, arguably, his last complete design. The “Room”, the southernmost part of the completed design, is the physical realization of Kahn’s famous quote: “The walls parted and the columns became,” his notion about a basic relationship between two indispensable architectural elements. Though designed in the 1970s, the project evokes the eternal, a fitting memorial to Roosevelt’s legacy and his Four Freedoms (speech, worship, want, fear).

All granite that makes up Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park was quarried in Mount Airy, N.C., at the North Carolina Granite Corporation. This quarry is the world’s largest open-faced quarry, measuring half a square mile. It has been fully operational since 1743, and many of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects throughout the United States were built using this type of stone.

About 12,100 tons (roughly 24 million pounds) of granite were quarried to produce 7,700 tons (roughly 15 million pounds) of dimension granite. All excess stone has been used for other purposes both on this project and other quarry projects. The solid granite blocks used to make the “Room” measure 6 by 6 by 12 ft. and weigh 36 tons. These stones were too heavy to be trucked across the only bridge that connects Roosevelt Island to the mainland (Queens). Due to this weight restriction, all “Room” stones were trucked to New Jersey and then barged to the construction site.

Four Freedoms Park is the heaviest stone-setting job undertaken in New York City to date. The project required five different types of cranes and lifts and roughly 100 trained stone setters, all employed by Port Morris Tile & Marble Corporation.

Intuit Inc.

Silicon Valley, California

MIA Member Company: 

Coldspring

Cold Spring, Minnesota

Stone Supplier

Stone Fabricator

Other Project Team Members: 

Intuit Inc.

Client

AECOM

Architect

SC Builders

General Contractor

DeAnza Tile

(MIA Member Company)

Stone Installer

Stone:

Mesabi Black® Granite

Located in the heart of California’s well-known Silicon Valley, Intuit Inc. found itself in a unique design situation. The company occupies a campus in a series of buildings that were intended for use by multiple tenants. Over time, Intuit leased all of the campus’ buildings as its business expanded. With offices in more than a dozen buildings, it was challenging for employees to interact. The company wanted to unify its buildings and people. Landscape architecture with granite as a key design element became the means to achieve the intended outcome.

Mesabi Black® granite from Coldspring was used to construct water features, a rain garden, a pool bottom base and sculptural benches for seating. The granite was selected for the outdoor environment and heavy traffic, and Mesabi Black® delivered a striking backdrop

for the water features. Mesabi Black® is produced in close proximity to the Coldspring manufacturing facility, which minimized transportation and helped the team adhere to sustainable practices. In all, the project required more than 6,500 sq. ft. of granite.

The granite-formed water features, including a 100-foot water wall, contribute to the project’s sustainability goals while creating a spectacular arrival experience at the company’s global corporate headquarters. Narrow streams of water cascade from one feature to the next through the campus’ central area.

With their narrow design, the new water features minimize evaporation. Together with the new storm-water management system, rain garden and native plant choices, the project has reduced consumption of up to 12 Olympic-sized pools of potable water per year.

The new design also enables creative interaction among employees, inspiring innovation and collaboration. White noise from the water provides a calming atmosphere where people can gather. Granite benches not only provide space for rest and meeting, but also for outdoor work as well. The interior work environment has extended to the landscape, made possible with Wi-Fi access across the campus.

Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center

Denver, Colorado

MIA Member Company: 

Coldspring

Cold Spring, Minnesota

Stone Supplier | Stone Fabricator

Other Project Team Members: 

Trammell Crow Company

State Judicial Department

Client

Fentress Architects of Denver

(Building Structure)

Civitas Inc.

(Hardscapes)

Architects

Mortenson Construction

General Contractor

Gage Brothers Precast

The Gallegos Corporation

(MIA Member Company) 

Stone Installers

Stones:

Iridian® Granite, Rockville White® Granite

Lake Superior Green® Granite

Adjacent to the State Capitol, the 695,767 sq. ft., $258 million Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center in Denver encompasses courthouses for the Colorado Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, as well as a 12-story office building for support functions associated with the courts.

Coldspring’s Iridian® granite was selected for the Judicial Center’s exterior. Coldspring fabricated four 52-ft. tall Iridian® granite columns for the Judicial Center’s front entry and twenty-four radial-clad Iridian® granite columns outside of the Learning Center.

The entire four story court building is clad with granite. Rockville White® was used as a base up to the second floor and Iridian® was used above that. The first two floors of the adjoining 12 story office building are clad in Rockville White® granite, with precast panels above the 2nd floor.

Coldspring’s Lake Superior Green® was selected for the hardscape surfaces, including the plinth on which the building rests. As the plinth cascades down to the street level, it engages the community by offering seating areas for viewing parades and other events along the adjacent Civic Center Park. The west and east sides of the plinth’s bleacher-style steps serve as storm water retention/water quality ponds. They define the planted environment to soften the building and give it a garden-like quality.

Beyond the plinth lies the plaza area, constructed of 3-inch thick slab granite, soft-set on sand with a mechanical snow-melt system underneath to withstand Denver’s harsh freeze-thaw conditions. All walking areas feature a thermal finish for non-slip surfaces.

Designed with a 100-year-plus lifespan, the completed Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center speaks to the future in terms of courtroom design and technology, with the flexibility to accommodate future needs.

Long Island Residence

Long Island, New York

MIA Member Company: 

Valders Stone & Marble, Inc.

Valders, Wisconsin

Stone Quarrier

Stone Fabricator

Other Project Team Members: 

1100 Architect

Design Firm

Bulgin & Associates

General Contractor

Precision Stone, Inc.

Stone Installer

Picco Engineering

(MIA Member Company) 

Engineering & Shop Drawings

Stones:

Valders Buff

Dolomitic Limestone

The design team for this project gave Valders Stone & Marble, Inc. the following design objective: “Situated on the eastern shore of Long Island, the design of this beach house is conceived as emerging from the landscape. The house is composed of two elements: the main house and a pavilion situated on a base that extends into the landscape.

From the driveway entrance on the northern side, the house appears as a largely solid, stone-clad volume with rectangular perforations for the windows. In contrast, the more private southern façade is composed almost entirely of glass to maximize ocean views and sun exposure. What initially presents itself as a classic modern box unfolds to become an unexpectedly open sculptural figure.”

The design firm chose a warm beige/buff color palette for their design. The material needed to hold a specific color range, and the stone needed to be suitable for a multitude of applications.

Additionally, the material needed to perform well when installed horizontally and vertically in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The unique performance characteristics and color of Wisconsin Dolomite made it the obvious choice for the project. Valders Dolomitic limestone was used in several facets of this stunning modern design. 

Applications of the material included, but were not limited to: blind anchored exterior façade panels, light weight honeycomb panels for soffit/overhang applications, interior and exterior paving, pedestal paving, pool coping, weir stones, stair treads, site walls, landscape/hardscape applications, and stone in its raw/natural form.

Eleven months lapsed between the setting of the first stone and the installation of the fire pit. Given the complexity of the project and the time frame for completion, the entire team of architects, engineers and builders combined their efforts to make this truly a dream come true.

Ardmore Residence

Singapore

MIA Member Company: 

M&G CONTRACTS (S) PTE LTD

Singapore

Stone Supplier | Stone Fabricator

Stone Installer

Other Project Team Members: 

Pontiac Land Group

Client

UNStudio

Design Architect

Architects 61

Local Architect

Shimizu Corporation

General Contractor

Stones:

Majestic Beige Marble

Roman Travertine, Cenia Gris Limestone

Buxiel Limestone, Vanilla Onyx

Light Grey Granite

Like an artful masterpiece, Ardmore Residence exhilarates, engages and inspires. Rising boldly above Singapore’s premier residential address, Ardmore Park, the 36-story residential tower redefines the luxury living of an urban home with imagination, privileges and services that are exclusive to its residents.

The apartment’s spaces conjure up the harmony of a light-filled urban cocoon rising above the energy of the city. Orchard Road’s landmarks dazzle in crisp clarity from the apartments facing south, while the units with a north orientation enjoy Bukit Timah Hill’s lush green foliage. The living and dining wing opens to a doublevolume balcony that presents an impressive space for residents who enjoy entertaining at home in style, or simply relaxing in their luxury of space. At more than 2,000 sq. ft. each, all of the 56 luxurious units have been fitted with premium stone finishes, carefully selected and processed to achieve the optimal aesthetical effect.

M&G inspected and selected the blocks directly from quarries located in Iran, Italy and Spain, and then fabricated according to the customized finishes of each unit type. The flat cut pieces and solid curved pieces for each unit were then laid out per the shop drawings, inspected and approved by the owner’s representatives, before individually numbered and packed for delivery to site.

In the main lobby, an impressive onyx feature wall captures the attention of visitors with its stunning book-matched effect. The blocks were individually selected to ensure consistency of the veining, then allocated to each elevation to create optimal symmetry when book-matched. The slabs were then cut and book-matched polished, laid out to visualize the effect and to mark the actual sizes to cut, before finally cutting to size. 

The landscaped areas also feature granite in various thicknesses with radial cuts to complement the architectural style of the project.

632 Broadway, New York, NY

New York, New York

MIA Member Company: 

Miller Druck

Specialty Contracting, Inc.

New York, New York

Stone Supplier | Stone Fabricator

Stone Installer

Other Project Team Members: 

Renaissance Properties New York

Owner/Client

General Contractor

Charles H. Henkels. AIA

Architects

Marble and Stone Creations, Inc.

Mosaic Floor

Stones:

Campan Vert Marble

Indian Green Marble

Empress Green Marble

Absolute Black Granite

Collemandina Marble

Alicante Marble

Lagos Gold Limestone

Verde Laguna Marble

Rosa Tea Marble, Calacatta Marble

The 632 Broadway building is a Landmark Classical Revival designed by Robert Maynicke circa 1900. Recently, Mr. Ken Fishel, president of Renaissance properties, began a building upgrade. The upgrade called for white marble wall panels and terrazzo floor. During demolition, mechanics discovered the original elaborate elevator cage buried behind walls and uncovered fragments of the original ceramic mosaic. Additionally, a piece of the original marble wainscot, crown, and base were discovered behind panels. Knowing the importance of these finds, Miller Druck pursued the concept of restoring the lobby to the full grandeur of the original design.

Campan Vert was selected for massive book-matched wall panels. The trim stone, Indian Green marble, was fabricated to duplicate the original profiles. The tight schedule dictated the cubic trim be fabricated from 2cm and 3cm stock. Miller Druck had to ensure the crown molding was assembled and engineered to accept LED lighting recessed within the crown. The design team worked diligently to develop stone details mimicking the elaborate details of the original stone.

The original floor was handmade ceramic mosaics. Miller Druck worked with a local artisan to design a handmade stone mosaic, matching the details of the original mosaic. They contemplated using a machine-made mosaic but once seeing mockups of both, machine-made vs. handmade, there was no comparison. 

A custom laurel wreath was added within the vestibule area. Within the laurel wreath were the numbers “632”, the building address. The stone tesserae consist of: Empress Green, Absolute Black, Collemandina, Alicante, Lagos Gold, Verde Laguna, Rosa Tea and Calacatta.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Wichita, Kansas

MIA Member Company: 

Rugo Stone, LLC

Lorton, Virginia

Stone Supplier | Stone Fabricator

Stone Installer

Other Project Team Members: 

Archdiocese of Wichita, Kansas

Client

Architectural Innovations LLC

Architect

Simpson Construction Inc.

General Contractor

Santucci Armando, S.R.L.

(MIA Member Company) 

Stone Fabricator

Stones:

Volga Blue Granite

Carrara C Marble

Paonazzo Marble

Belgium Black Marble

This project was a complex renovation of Wichita’s Catholic Cathedral originally built in 1910. The initial task was to catalog, measure, and photograph the 35 ft. tall hand-carved rear altar also constructed in 1910. The Cathedral’s renovation called for dismantling the rear altar and relocating it 25 ft. forward in the sanctuary, shorten the height by five feet and create a free standing element with a walk through arched opening.

The free standing design required Rugo Stone and their engineer to design two solid filled unit masonry piers to support the marble column element. Rugo’s highly skilled team measured and cataloged the hundreds of intricate hand carved pieces, created shop drawings and numbered each piece of stone. Next, they dismantled the rear altar and safely crated and stored the stone for four months while the sanctuary was demolished and the new masonry support structure was constructed.

Once the rear altar structural support was completed, Rugo erected the historic marble to meet the new free standing design. Rugo restored the rear altar damage and cleaned all the candle wax, and dirt which had accumulated over 100 years of service. Rugo also dismantled a very fragile tabernacle element, made small modifications/ additions and installed it in front of the new free standing rear altar.

The new sanctuary design called for a dark black granite paving installed in the form of a cross, with accents of white Carrara C, which had to match the materials used on the rear altar. Rugo constructed a complex baptismal font, with many complex radial pieces, which had to be coordinated with the water circulation system.

They also provided new elements for the ambo and fabricated a new front altar with small columns of Paonazzo marble to match the rear altar columns.

The MIA Pinnacle Award winners will be continued in next month’s issue.