The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) with the Brick Industry Association and National Concrete Masonry Association announced the 5th Annual HNA Hardscape Project Award winners. From 114 entries, 20 winners were chosen. Entries were judged on project intent, design, quality of construction and craftsmanship, compatibility with related construction materials and systems, construction innovation, detailing and overall design excellence. The following photo essay provides an overview of the award winning projects.

Award-winning Projects

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) with the Brick Industry Association and National Concrete Masonry Association announced the 5th Annual HNA Hardscape Project Award winners. From 114 entries, 20 winners were chosen. Entries were judged on project intent, design, quality of construction and craftsmanship, compatibility with related construction materials and systems, construction innovation, detailing and overall design excellence. The following photo essay provides an overview of the award winning projects.


 


Award: Clay Brick – Commercial/Municipal – More than 15,000 square feet
Project Title: Lorain East Pier
Project Location: Lorain, Ohio
Square Feet of Project: 52,900
Contractor: Bramhall Engineering & Surveying Company, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: The Belden Brick Company
Project Description: As a result of a 2007 master plan, the project area under the auspices of the Lorain Port Authority was given to the contractor for review. The first step was to upgrade the “Mile Long Pier” (actually 2,332 feet long). Replacement of the concrete forming the pier was not the best option. The pier was in disrepair and needed a creative overhaul. Factors affecting design included the harsh weather of a breakwall and the need to cover it with a moveable unattached cover. The ultimate goal was to make it more inviting by improving aesthetics. The selection of clay pavers opened the palette of weatherproof colors extensively. The pavers selected allowed for heavy vehicular traffic. They were made to better match the scale of the pier than a standard 4 x 8 in. paver. The 12 in. length was decided to achieve these goals. This combination in a running bond with alternating colors gave it a look of wood without the maintenance. Approximately 200,000 Earth Tone Pavers were uses for the 23- x 2,300-foot area. Pavers were laid were face-side up in a running bond. The base material was 1 inch or less of ASTM No. 33 sand. A polymeric binder was used in the top of the joints. Drainage was achieved through 2-inch drain holes though the concrete base every 4 feet.


 



Award: Clay Brick – Permeable – Residential/Commercial
Project Title: Artists’ Backyard
Project Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Square Feet of Project: 2,500
Contractor: Fred Adams Paving Co., Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Pine Hall Brick Co.
Project Description: The Artists’ Backyard is a small park created jointly between NC State University’s Departments of Landscape Architecture and University Housing. It consists of a plaza, a patio and three rain gardens between two older residence halls on campus. Within the existing space were mature oak trees that needed protection and a sidewalk and stairwell that needed changing for compliance with Americans with Disability Act design requirements. Landscape architecture students were in charge of conceiving, designing and ultimately building the installation. The project was intended to demonstrate green design. Red brick permeable pavers were chosen to blend in with existing pathways and buildings on campus and were accented with recycled flagstones. Low-impact design techniques were employed to slow, capture and clean stormwater on site. Cisterns, permeable pavers and a series of runnels direct stormwater into rain gardens to filter it and prevent erosion. Soils were tilled and vertically mulched using air excavation techniques and were amended with compost and other structural soils to help protect the plants and help them grow. Artists’ Backyard was the second project and several more are in the planning stages. The projects combine practical experience for students with a cost-effective means for the university to improve its outdoor surroundings.


 



Award: Clay Brick – Residential
Project Title: Old Palm Model Home
Project Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Square Feet of Project: 3,000
Contractor: Hasey Construction South Florida Homes
Product Manufacturer: Pine Hall Brick Co.
Project Description: The builder created an attractive entrance to his newest model in the Old Palm single family home subdivision located in Palm Beach Gardens. Fla. He wanted a warm, inviting approach to his home, but needed a versatile product to create an eye-catching design. He decided on the warm charm of natural clay brick. The driveway gave the model a stunning look by utilizing a combination of a herringbone and running bond in a circle pattern.


 



Award: Clay Brick – Residential
Project Title: A Little Something for the Traditionalist
Project Location: Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.
Square Feet of Project: 725
Contractor: Platinum Site Development, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Danish Mods
Project Description: Keeping a traditionalist feel while mixing modern amenities was the homeowner’s biggest concern. Placing natural materials such as bluestone, clay brick and stacked stone walls seamlessly into the landscape all add to the elegance of this exclusive North Shore Long Island home. With the addition of a 10-foot-wide spillover trough, the homeowner not only sees elegance, but they are able to hear it as well. A gentle spilling of water into the custom gunite pool provides the serenity that a manmade waterfall lacks.


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Commercial/Industrial – 1,000 to 15,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Lake Forest Country Club
Project Location: Hudson, Ohio
Square Feet of Project: 3,000
Contractor: Rock Bottom Lawn & Landscaping
Product Manufacturer: Belgard and Unilock
Project Description: This project consisted of creating an outdoor event venue accommodating all types of gatherings from weddings to informal lunches. The main objective was to create a functional meeting space that would highlight and utilize the picturesque lakefront setting. While the lake served as a beautiful backdrop to the project, it also created difficulties in the planning and construction. Excess water and slope down to the lake were issues that were resolved by engineered retaining walls and extensive drainage under the patio. To help reduce the scale of the 3,000-square-foot patio, it was constructed over a grid pattern accentuated by key vertical elements such as the fireplace, bar, grill and water feature. An inlay of deep red creates the grid that draws the eye down straight lines toward these focal points. Sinuous walls provide an enticing contrast to the rectilinear pavers. The canopy system was requested by the association and had to be uniquely designed to conform to the layout of the project.


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Commercial/Industrial – More than 15,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Dartmouth Crossing Sidewalks
Project Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Square Feet of Project: 132,000
Contractor: Cornerstone Interlocking Brick Ltd.
Product Manufacturer: Permacon, an Oldcastle Company
Project Description: The Dartmouth Crossing is a large retail development in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Among the typical big box stores such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot are numerous upscale boutiques. When the architects and developers wanted to give these “lifestyle” stores an inviting and appealing feel they turned to concrete paver sidewalks. The cobblestone look was achieved by nesting half circles with a fan pattern between them. The amount of cutting involved was substantial as none of the factory-supplied circle kits were designed for this method of installation. At 80 mm thick (as compared to 60 mm for the field), the banding and border details had to be graded, laid, and cut before the same process was repeated for the thinner field pavers. Although the work was spread over three years (2007-09), there was always pressure to complete individual stores for grand openings.


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Permeable – Commercial/Industrial
Project Title: Brown Hall Colorado School of Mines
Project Location: Golden, Colo.
Square Feet of Project: 35,000
Contractor: Rocky Mountain Hardscapes, LLP
Product Manufacturer: Pavestone Company
Project Description: With the construction of Brown Hall, the intent of the design was to create a beautiful and compelling pedestrian environment in newly vacated streets in the heart of the Colorado School of Mines campus. This solution also had to accommodate emergency and service vehicle loads; avoid exceeding historic off-site storm flows; meet the campus maintenance requirements; and provide a long-lasting, durable pavement surface. The pavement profile was designed to capture water on slopes in places which exceeded 8 percent. This required site specific detailing including the use of subsurface check dams and sub-drains since the typical paver design is for under 5 percent slopes. The pavement system was designed for partial and full infiltration, and in places adjacent to the building included a liner at the bottom of the profile to protect the building foundation from surface water infiltration. An electric snowmelt system was incorporated into the paver design at building entrances. Paver colors were selected to meet the solar reflectance values allowing the project to achieve the LEED credit SSc7.1 – Heat Island Effect/Non-roof. Other LEED credits toward which the paver system contributed were: Stormwater Management: Quantity Control Credit 6.1; Stormwater Management Quality Control Credit 6.2; Regional Materials Credit 5. While the goal was LEED Silver, with the contribution of a permeable paver system, Brown Hall achieved LEED Gold certification


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Residential – Less than 3,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Virginia Street Residence
Project Location: Omaha, Neb.
Square Feet of Project: 2,500
Contractor: Paver Designs
Product Manufacturer: Belgard
Project Description: This project was built in two stages. The front patio area was finished for a family wedding, and the driveway was added after the wedding. The driveway was excavated to a depth of 16 to 18 inches and the patio is 12 inches deep. Crushed recycled concrete was used for the base with 1 inch of paver sand placed on top. After the Mega-Arbel Stone pavers were laid, another inch of base was added for the Dublin Cobble paver areas. Three round seats were built next to the water feature and pebble designs were created in the center of each. Columns for the freestanding wall were designed with recessed areas for lights and for use as planters. Three-by-six-inch Dublin cobble pavers were cut in half for the triple border in the narrower areas of the patio. The front paver entrance is gently ramped with no step for handicapped accessibility if the need should arise. Probably the most difficult stage of the project was drawing more than 20 diverse designs. The “Y” shaped designs were drawn on Masonite at appropriate angles and distances so that the mirrored pairs nearly touched, and a template was made from this. After laying the field of Belgard Dublin Cobble pavers, the mosaic areas were marked with the template. These pavers were cut out one at a time. All of the colored Holland stone pavers were cut into thirds, and then angles were cut to follow curves. The template was moved and traced 12 times.


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Residential – More than 3,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Lopez Outdoor Living
Project Location: Williamsburg, Va.
Square Feet of Project: 3,500
Contractor: Mid Atlantic Enterprise, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Hanson Hardscapes and Rediscapes
Project Description: The main objective for this project was to turn a disabled American veteran’s useless, hilly backyard into a complete outdoor living destination. The contractor had to clear-cut the entire backyard and remove more than 3,000 cubic yards of earth. Severe drainage issues also had to be corrected before installing the hardscape. To accommodate the elevation changes of the property and to support the necessary ADA-compliant ramp, two walls had to be constructed using Rediscapes Wall Block. Everything was built custom including a new deck and pergola to blend the home and hardscape; a fully functional outdoor kitchen; a gunite pool and spa; two fire bowls and a fire pit.


 



Award: Concrete Paver – Transportation/Municipal Street
Project Title: Glen Cove Ferry Terminal
Project Location: Glen Cove, N.Y.
Square Feet of Project: 9,000
Contractor: KJB Industries, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Nicolock Paving Stones
Project Description: As part of the waterfront revitalization in the City of Glen Cove, N.Y., a ferry terminal dock was added. The ferry takes passengers from Glen Cove into New York City. The foundation for the terminal building was constructed, the building to be built in another phase of the project. The project consisted of a concrete bulkhead along the water. On the water side, floating docks to tie up the ferries and unload passengers were attached to the bulkhead. The ramps from the dock to the top of the bulkhead are handicap assessable. Between the bulkhead and the parking lot, a 10- to 16-foot-wide landscaped, brick paver walkway, seating area was constructed.


 



Award: SRW – Commercial/Industrial- 1,000 to 5,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Poplar Creek Golf Course
Project Location: Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Square Feet of Project: 3,000
Contractor: C.R. Schmidt, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Rosetta Stone
Project Description: A total of six walls were installed at various locations throughout the golf course of which half were installed in waterways throughout the course. These walls were constructed on top of gabion baskets set into the river beds of the waterways. The Rosetta Stone wall pieces were set using various types of equipment. The finished product created a natural-looking retaining wall system constructed out of these manmade, concrete wall units.


 



Award: SRW – Commercial/Industrial- More than 5,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Caseville Resort & Marine
Project Location: Caseville, Mich.
Square Feet of Project: 18,000
Contractor: Michigan Pavers & Walls
Product Manufacturer: Redi-Rock
Project Description: The project had a retaining wall installed with hollow-core hand-set blocks to retain the bank overlooking the marina, the original wall failed twice prior to the owner contacting Redi-Wall, LLC to discuss a complete tear down and replacement to solve the problem within the tight constraints of the marina and the homes built on the bluff above. A more than 20-foot wall with no geogrid reinforcement was designed and with only 15 feet between the face of wall and edge of the steel sea wall. In this small amount of working room the contractor removed the original wall along with the spoils and installed the Redi-Rock blocks to keep the bank from caving under the homes on top of the bluff.


 



Award: SRW – Engineered SRW
Project Title: Kalamazoo College Athletic Complex
Project Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Square Feet of Project: 23,000
Contractor: Decra-Scape, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Concrete Services
Project Description: Beginning in 2011, Kalamazoo College made a significant transformation to its campus working on a complete renovation of the Angell Field Athletic Complex. This $16 million project included renovations for new athletic fields, field house and stadium services building. The scope of this work included 2,781 feet of engineered segmental retaining walls, and more than 23,000 square feet of Rockwood Classic wall units provided by Concrete Services. More than 700 pallets of product and more than 8,400 yards of engineered backfill were used on these walls. The segmental retaining walls needed to be engineered to determine the required foundation dimensions, soil pressures, anchor placements, and working around posts. Incorporating the Platypus stainless steel anchors was quite a challenge. The Platypus anchors are engineered for the drive anchor depths and required minimum holding capacities calculations. Stability analysis and soil tests are performed to ensure the wall was structurally sound. Wall construction for this project occurred within eight months.


 



Award: SRW – Residential – Less than 1,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Level Me Please
Project Location: Dix Hills, N.Y.
Square Feet of Project: 1,000
Contractor: Autumn Leaf Landscape Design
Product Manufacturer: Belgard
Project Description: New homeowners faced a challenging yard with a steep slope, drainage problems, and a backyard full of poison ivy with no real usable space. They needed a place to entertain and relax among a cooking and play area for their growing family. Most important, the drainage was going directly into the basement. Approximately 140 cubic yards of soil was carted away to carve out the new space. The lower area was kept for adult entertainment and cooking, while the upper level would be a play area and future site for a swimming pool. A random mosaic CST weathered finish wall along with Unilock Brussels patio, BBQ and sitting walls with accented and enhanced borders give the space a defined and open feel.


 



Award: SRW – Residential – More than 1,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Walls of Wyoming
Project Location: Evanston, Wyo.
Square Feet of Project: 1,250
Contractor: Platinum Landscape, LLC
Product Manufacturer: Belgard
Project Description: The owners commissioned the design installation of an exciting outdoor space that allowed their family to enjoy their alpine setting despite a cooler climate. A boring grassy slope was transformed into a dynamic, interactive destination complete with fire features, outdoor kitchen, stream and trout pond, LED lighting, gazebo, trellis, paver floors and walls, 3 golf fairways, a large putting green, sand traps, and lots of native foliage.


 



Award: SRW – Transportation
Project Title: Shaffers Crossing
Project Location: Conifer, Colo.
Square Feet of Project: 66,000
Contractor: Bryan Miller Company, Inc.
Product Manufacturer: Pavestone Company
Project Description: Shaffers Crossing was a complete redesign of a signal free mountain intersection incorporating 66,000 square feet of multi-sized, multicolor SRW units to enhance traffic flow and improve safety. Design considerations required the installation to occur at the bottom of a severe slope and above a creek, incorporating wall heights in excess of 53 feet. The design required accommodating environment and site conditions, including two large culverts to handle heavy spring flooding due to runoff, as well as a wildlife passage to allow migration for the area’s deer and elk. The original bid called for import of select backfill. Instead, the general contractor and Bryan Miller Company used on-site excavated material which was crushed to specified dimensions. Year-round installation at an elevation of 9,000 feet was facilitated through the use of this crushed granular fill, eliminating the costs of importing and exporting material, all while accelerating the project completion date. Due to the severe environmental conditions in Colorado, CDOT had increased the freeze/thaw performance requirements of SRW units in the right-of-way. The Diamond Pro units used at Shaffers Crossing were required to meet freeze/thaw tolerances of less than 1 percent material loss at 150 cycles or 60 cycles with 3 percent saline.


 



Award: Combination – Commercial/Industrial – 1,000 – 20,000 square feet
Project Title: NetApp – Building #3 Patio
Project Location: Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Square Feet of Project: 13,860 Concrete Pavers; 2,260 Irregular Bluestone
Contractor: Davis Landscape, Ltd.
Product Manufacturer: Hanover Architectural Products, Scott’s Sand and Stone, The Stone Center of Carolina
Project Description: Located in Research Triangle Park, N.C., this new courtyard has more than 16,000 square feet of pavers. With more than 900 employees, NetApp wanted to integrate a new exterior patio into the existing courtyard to create one large common area for all employees to enjoy. The patio provides pedestrian access to all NetApp buildings and exterior site amenities including a putting green, volleyball and basketball courts, and outdoor grills. NetApp’s new courtyard has 13,860 square feet of concrete pavers and 2,260 square feet of irregular shaped natural bluestone. The concrete pavers consist of many colors and sizes ranging from typical 4- x 8-inch units to as large as 36- x 36-inch slabs. Each 36- x 36-inch slab was individually installed with a PaveTech vacuum tool. The concrete pavers were installed on 1-inch sand setting bed and 4-inch-thick compacted aggregate base. The irregular shaped natural bluestone incorporated within the concrete pavers was installed with +/- 1/8 in. tolerance mortared joints.


 



Award: Combination – Commercial/Industrial – More than 20,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Maritime Park
Project Location: Community Maritime Park Pensacola, FL
Square Feet of Project: 60,000
Contractors: Stonescapes, Inc. and Synergy Earth Systems
Product Manufacturer: Block USA
Project Description: The Community Maritime Park and Stadium is a joint city and developer project. The park offers a new baseball stadium, an amphitheater, as well as large walkways next to the bay. The pavers complement the brick on the stadium. There were five different sizes of pavers used in this project. On the walkways there are bands of 4- x 8-inch red pavers surrounding a field of lighter 6- x 12-inch pavers. Green 8- x 8-inch pavers were used at each intersection of bands to compliment the railing used. 12- x 12-inch units were used in the common areas and detectable warnings were used for ADA compliance.


 



Award: Combination – Residential – Less than 4,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Morrison Residence
Project Location: Roswell, Ga.
Square Feet of Project: 4,000
Contractor: PaverStone Construction
Product Manufacturer: Belgard
Project Description: The challenge with this project was the clients’ large property had no real usable backyard for their large family. The property dropped off quickly starting at 30 feet beyond their back door. This fall in elevation was used as an advantage by creating a stunning vanishing-edge swimming pool that gives the feeling of being in the mountains. The owners wanted a backyard oasis for entertainment and social functions. The grade changes were used as an advantage by designing three separate terrace levels surrounding the pool. The upper level contains the outdoor kitchen, fire pit and spa. The large second level includes a stream, beach entry and plenty of area for chase lounges and pool side activity, while the lower level takes advantage of the bar stools at the deep end and the cantilevered stone slab bar top.


 



Award: Combination – Residential – More than 4,000 Square Feet
Project Title: Cino Residence
Project Location: Blairstown, N.J.
Square Feet of Project: 6,200
Contractor: JB’s Landscape
Product Manufacturer: Anchor Concrete Products/ Belgard Hardscapes
Project Description: With the homeowners’ insistence on incorporating a pool to accentuate the amazing view from their property, the challenge lay in creating a unified look with several outdoor living areas. By utilizing different levels in the design, JB’s Landscape tied together an amphitheater seating area in front of a fireplace, pool deck, custom kitchen, fire pit, ponds, stream, and pathway leading to the garage area. JB’s Natural stone was incorporated to complement the many styles of Belgard Hardscapes. Belair pillars were constructed in which water cascades into two smaller ponds that feed into a larger pond.


 


 


The HNA Hardscape Project Awards are produced by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute and supported by the National Concrete Masonry Association and the Brick Industry Association. This year, Belgard Hardscapes and Ewing Hardscapes sponsored the program. To learn more about the outstanding hardscape projects recognized as HNA Hardscape Project Award winners, visit www.hardscapena.com/2012awards