May 17, 2013

Special applications: Artistic merit / tie
Everett Performing Arts Plaza

Photo courtesy of WACA [enlarge]

More than 500 man hours went into crafting the plaza’s water feature, at the lower left.

Location: Everett

Owner/developer:Everett Parks and Recreation

Project team: C.A. Carey Corp., general contractor; Truefaux LLC & Nakano Associates, concrete artist; Emil’s Concrete Construction Co., concrete contractor; Cadman, ready-mix supplier

A former bank building and parking lot in downtown Everett was redeveloped into a plaza and youth education center for the Village Theatre.

The centerpiece of the plaza is a water feature known as the “cauldron.” More than 500 man hours went into the 5-cubic-yard concrete vessel. Poured-in-place concrete was used for the vessel because it allows for custom coloration, surface seeding, waterproofing and diamond polishing.

The concrete beyond the centerpiece is a mix of free-flowing curves and pavement in a grid pattern. The design integrates both “mesa buff” and “charcoal” colors.

The lighter mesa buff paving was used for the steps and platforms while the darker charcoal paving provided the plaza hardscape. In both cases, the surface was chemically etched, leaving a gritty, maintenance-free finish.

The charcoal paving was seeded with silica carbide at a rate of 1/4 pound per square foot, lending a luminous quality to the concrete on a rare sunny day.

The versatility of concrete both decoratively and structurally allowed the design team to create a unique, interactive and sustainable recreation space.

Other Stories:

• Shotcrete helps restore a school that went up in flames
  
• Concrete paving
  Martin Luther King Jr. Way phase one
  
• Special applications: Technical merit
  Columbia ColStor
  
• Special applications: Artistic merit / tie
  East Bay Public Plaza
  
• Pervious concrete
  Woods at Golden Given
  
• Architectural/decorative concrete / tie
  Lake Washington High School
  
• Residential structures
  Lions Gate
  
• Architectural/decorative concrete / tie
  St. Martin’s Abbey courtyard
  
• Residential decorative concrete
  Sprague residence
  
• Public works: Bridges
  Manette Bridge replacement
  
• Public works: Infrastructure
  Maple Leaf Reservoir
  
• Cast-in-place structures
  Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Therapy
  
• GRAND AWARD/Tilt-up structures
  Everett Clinic Smokey Point Medical Center
  
• Renton Memorial Stadium owes its good looks to concrete
  
• Public renovations
  Percival Landing major rehabilitation