Events > Tilt-Up Convention and Expo 2021 - St. Louis > SESSION

Tale of Two Boxes: Tilt-Up Case Studies from an Architect’s Perspective

September 18, 2021 from 9:30am to 10:30am Central Standard Time

Hyatt Regency 4th Floor - Park View

Bart Shaw, FAIA

There are two recently completed Tilt-Up projects on Montgomery Avenue in Fort Worth Texas. They are separated by one city block and adjacent to a Museum District with a few of the most renown concrete structures in the country designed by architects Renzo Piano, Louis Khan, and Tadao Ando.

Chroma and Fort Worth Camera are each composed of site cast concrete panels. The unedited, natural concrete finish pays homage to the beautiful cast-in-place concrete of the nearby museums. Chroma and Fort Worth Camera have become instant icons in Fort Worth. The tilt-up panels at Chroma mimic the entry frames, and visually anchor a glass box retail area that cantilevers toward the street. At Fort Worth Camera, 175 conical holes were cast into a 53 foot long, 16 foot high wall, placed just a few feet from the street give the building a singular character.

Each building holds its own and is a testament to the craftsman that were part of its formation. The presentation will discuss the drivers leading to the success of each project including the techniques involved in the formwork, casting, erection, and complimentary construction.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Investigate available fabrication techniques and creative ways to successfully express conceptual design in finished construction.
• Discuss the benefits of tilt-wall construction to aesthetic quality of concrete.
• Relay the importance of involving contractors, engineers and architects in dialogue about the design and quality of construction goals before beginning construction. Explain how these conversations have influenced their construction approach.
• Examine how the selection of tilt-wall relates to resilience and durability to address clients program requirements.