{"id":12323,"date":"2013-06-01T18:01:14","date_gmt":"2013-06-01T22:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.constructionspecifier.com\/?p=12323"},"modified":"2015-11-27T09:07:59","modified_gmt":"2015-11-27T14:07:59","slug":"tilt-up-an-opportunity-for-the-resurgence-of-craft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionspecifier.com\/tilt-up-an-opportunity-for-the-resurgence-of-craft\/","title":{"rendered":"Tilt-up: An opportunity for the resurgence of craft"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"tiltup_UCSD-ECOB-2\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Photos \u00a9 Ryan Gobuty\/Gensler<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

by Mitch Bloomquist<\/strong><\/p>\n

As monumental-sized panels of concrete are lifted from their horizontal onsite casting position to a vertical element of the building enclosure, an impressive and unique craft is unveiled. In this industry, contractors are discovering inherent opportunities for a renewed focus on craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

Definitions and origins of the word \u2018craft\u2019 refer to the ability to make or produce with care, skill, or ingenuity; the word also can mean strength and power. One would not normally think of a four-story office building as being \u2018handcrafted;\u2019 often, it is more accurate to say they are \u2018assembled.\u2019<\/p>\n

While some components are made onsite, most come to the site and are combined according to the plans, specifications, and manufacturer\u2019s instructions. With tilt-up concrete construction, contractors (sometimes general contractors, other times tilt-up installers) are working directly with and affecting the medium itself, creating one-of-a-kind works with each panel. This is also the case with cast-in-place concrete. However, tilt-up is uniquely positioned to maximize these opportunities for increased craft while maintaining a high level of efficiency and affordability.<\/p>\n

To appreciate the inherent opportunities for craftsmanship afforded by tilt-up concrete construction, it is important to consider the well-recognized benefits of choosing the building system in the first place. One of the most common reasons for choosing tilt-up is the system\u2019s ability to deliver on a fast schedule. While time most definitely is money, it is also directly related to quality, and because one of the greatest benefits of tilt-up is speed, there is more time to focus on it.<\/p>\n

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The University of California San Diego (UCSD) East Campus Office Building (ECOB) houses the health sciences school\u2019s Center for Clinical Research. It provides an example of the level of craft attainable through tilt-up concrete.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Unexpected project solutions<\/b>
\nWith many other forms of construction, contractors are juggling the ordering, arrival, storage, installation, and finishing of a multitude of products. Each one of these steps or items creates opportunities for lost time and mistakes. With tilt-up, there are minimal products to coordinate, virtually no onsite storage needs, and, because of the time dedicated to meticulous planning, little opportunity for mistakes. The attention to detail and demand for precision does not stop after the planning stages\u2014these upfront efforts create an onsite environment of accountability, knowledge, confidence, and focus.<\/p>\n

This advantage of speed presents an opportunity to offer project solutions that may not seem possible to the owner. One case in point is a recent project for the University of California San Diego (UCSD). The school required office space quickly to accompany and support some major projects close to completion on their medical campus. A new cancer center was going up, and a shortage of space in other medical buildings meant it needed somewhere to put the additional support services.<\/p>\n

UCSD initially planned on constructing a series of temporary buildings or trailers, but the senior director of healthcare project management for UCSD Facilities Design & Construction recommended considering tilt-up concrete construction. Having a great deal of experience with the system as an architect, he suggested a building using tilt-up could be constructed within the difficult budget and timeframe and they could potentially avoid investing time and money in a poor quality temporary fix.<\/p>\n

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Located in Forest Park, Missouri, Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) is situated atop Art Hill overlooking the Grand Basin. Designed by renowned American architect Cass Gilbert for the 1904 World\u2019s Fair, the project has a recent addition that relied on tilt-up concrete.<\/span>
Photo courtesy Julie Bayer\/David Chipperfield Architects<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tom Heffernan, the principal in charge of the project for Gensler, noted the request for proposals (RFP) issued by the university suggested tilt-up concrete construction as a good means of addressing the project requirements with its budget limitations and aggressive schedule.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team took this to heart and focused efforts on developing a tilt-up design that expressed the sculptural potential of site cast concrete,\u201d he said. \u201cUCSD and its surrounding community have a rich history of traditional cast-in-place concrete and we welcomed the challenge to use tilt-up methodology in an innovative way to design a new building that could hold its own among the other buildings on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heffernan noted while speed was an important factor in the decision, there was more involved. The decision to use tilt-up concrete construction ultimately came down to the fact the method was able to provide a higher level of value to the university. Given a detailed RFP, a fixed budget, and straightforward campus requirements, C.W. Driver (general contractor) was able to estimate the costs of the interiors as well as the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems with a high level of accuracy. What remained were the funds available for the skin, or fa\u00e7ade, and structure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin this budget, we could provide a conventional steel-framed building, but would only have enough budget left for a stucco or other low-cost cladding system,\u201d explained Heffernan. \u201cWith the \u2018triple-duty\u2019 tilt-up system\u2014cladding, lateral, and gravity system in one\u2014we could provide a much higher level of quality to the university. A durable system with low maintenance requirements and, equally important, a system that afforded us powerful design opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"tiltup_SLAM-Expansion-9\"<\/a>
For the museum project, the design team wanted to avoid joints at the corners of the building. To accomplish this, corner panels were cast with 1067-mm (42-in.) returns, providing a continuous, monolithic exterior appearance.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Building art<\/b>
\nUCSD\u2019s team is not alone in realizing tilt-up\u2019s potential in offering speed, economy, and design opportunities. However, in many ways, the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) was in an opposite position, and still opted for the construction method. In this case, the museum had plenty of money and time. Why they chose to build with tilt-up had everything to do with the quality of construction they were looking for, the aesthetic they desired, as well as the monumental scale they had in mind.<\/p>\n

The Saint Louis Art Museum, located in Forest Park, Missouri, is situated atop Art Hill overlooking the Grand Basin\u2014the central gathering place for the 1904 World\u2019s Fair. Designed by renowned American architect Cass Gilbert for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the museum\u2019s original structure was the only building from the fair designed to be permanent. The building has undergone several modifications and various additions, with the latest meant to result in a more uniform look, providing modern accessibility and expanded capabilities.<\/p>\n