Belleville Christian School

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

The Belleville Christian School project is a striking example of how tilt-up construction can be used to create both practical and beautiful educational spaces. Completed in 2023, the new school facility spans 30,000 square feet and was designed to meet modern educational needs while delivering long-term durability, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

A total of 104 tilt-up panels were used throughout the project, covering 36,900 square feet of wall surface. Of this, 20,900 square feet consisted of insulated panels to provide superior thermal performance and support year-round comfort for students and staff. The remaining 16,000 square feet of non-insulated panels were strategically applied in areas not requiring thermal protection, optimizing material use while maintaining structural integrity.

One of the project’s most distinguishing features is the custom brick formliner used on the exterior panels. This finish adds a layer of architectural character to the building, reflecting the design team’s commitment to blending form and function. Additional finishes include a textured coating across key surfaces and the integration of steel accents in select areas of the building, further enhancing its visual appeal and architectural depth. These design choices contribute to the building’s strong presence in the community, while the use of tilt-up ensures speed and quality of construction.

The project also showcases significant structural accomplishments. The tallest panel reaches 30 feet 1 inch, and the widest spans 44 feet 7 inches. The largest panel covers 670 square feet, and the heaviest tips the scale at 83,970 pounds. These figures highlight the scale and engineering precision involved in delivering a project of this magnitude.

Belleville Christian School stands as a model of efficient, purpose-built school design that meets modern standards without compromising on durability or design.

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project?

The Belleville Christian School project presented a range of logistical and technical challenges, particularly due to its scale, schedule, and educational setting. With 104 tilt-up panels, many of them large and heavy, the team had to carefully plan the sequencing, lifting, and placement while ensuring site safety and maintaining finish quality.

The heaviest panel weighed nearly 84,000 pounds, which required customized lift planning and precise crane coordination. Lifting such large panels without compromising structural alignment or damaging architectural finishes demanded close collaboration between the field crews and the engineering team. Rigging points, lift sequencing, and panel layout were all optimized to manage risk and maintain efficiency.

Due to construction taking place during the winter months, additional measures were required to ensure concrete temperatures remained above minus 10 degrees Celsius. The team implemented heating strategies and cold weather protection to support proper curing and maintain panel quality. These precautions allowed work to continue without impacting the project schedule or budget.

The project was also on a tight timeline, which required overlapping operations and proactive coordination to manage the large volume of panel work within a limited window. Sequencing was managed carefully to avoid delays and maintain consistent progress. An added complexity was the use of a custom brick formliner, which required exact layout and attention during both casting and erection. Ensuring pattern continuity across adjacent panels and corners added another level of detail to an already demanding project. The team successfully delivered a durable, well-executed facility on time and within budget.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

The Belleville Christian School project pushed the limits of tilt-up panel engineering, with a combination of large, heavy panels and detailed architectural treatments. At 83,970 pounds, the heaviest panel required precise rigging, detailed lift planning, and careful coordination to avoid deflection or stress during placement. The tallest panel, standing at over 30 feet, required structural detailing to account for wind load, panel support, and long-term durability.

One of the standout features was the use of a custom brick formliner applied to the exterior faces of many panels. This required exacting attention during the layout and casting process to maintain pattern alignment across joints and corners. The formliner created a realistic brick appearance while offering all the benefits of tilt-up durability and ease of maintenance.

With over 36,000 square feet of panel surface area, sequencing and placement were carefully coordinated to maintain schedule and finish quality. Panels were designed and installed to create long, uninterrupted wall sections while also integrating insulation in more than half of the surface area. This added thermal performance without compromising speed or structure. The project illustrates how tilt-up panels can accommodate both complex structural loads and detailed architectural treatments. The combination of height, weight, and finish detailing makes this a technically sophisticated and visually appealing example of modern school construction.