Artistic Shotcrete Use in Exhibit Fabrication

The zoological and aquarium industry has been successfully using shotcrete placement within animal habitats for several decades. The flexibility and durability of shotcrete provides natural settings that allow for better animal enrichment over caged habitats. Zoo guests also benefit from viewing animals in a more organic habitat where the animals exhibit their natural behaviors

The Outstanding International Project

Project Name:
South East Asia Jungle Track

Location:
Auckland Zoo, New Zealand

Shotcrete Contractor:
Aqua-Environs Construction

Architect/Engineer:
Studio Hanson Roberts

Material Supplier/Manufacturer:
Atlas Concrete

Equipment Manufacturer:
Concrete Pumping Equipment NZ, Ltd & Putzmeister Products

General Contractor:
NZ STRONG; Project Owner: Auckland Zoo – Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

Outstanding Pool & Recreational Project

Project Name:
Thunderbird Falls, Outstanding Shotcrete Project

Location:
British Columbia, Canada

Shotcrete Contractor:
Oceanrock Art Ltd.

Architect/Engineer:
CA Boom Engineering

Material Supplier/Manufacturer:
Cardinal Concrete

Equipment Manufacturer:
CanCrete/Putzmeister Canada

General Contractor:
Oceanrock Art Ltd.

Project Owner:
Guy and Jaime Morum

Skateboarding in Barbados

People have been traveling to the small Caribbean island of Barbados to surf the ever-present waves arriving across the Atlantic for as long as humans have pursued wave riding. The same can be said about skateboarding as the parish of Christ Church now boasts a regional concrete skatepark! This was a long and thorough process shepherded by a consortium of firms and associations, all working to provide the Bajans a modern concrete skatepark through proper planning and processes. This all began with one phone call from Paul Wilson, a local skateboarding advocate with the tireless passion to bring proper skateboarding to the youth (of all ages) of Barbados.

Hale Park Skatepark

Shotcrete was essential to create the smooth flowing transitions, curves, and blends required in the construction of the Hale Park Skatepark in Wenatchee, WA. All of our skateparks, including Hale Park, are constructed of steel reinforced shotcrete with a minimum 28-day compressive strength of 4000 lb/in2 (28 MPa) – often breaking over 5000 lb/in2 (34 MPa) in just 7 days. Using proprietary techniques and products, developed over the years, we can form and sculpt shotcrete into virtually any shape imaginable. This gives us the ability to produce any skate feature requested or imagined by the project stakeholders.

Chihuahuan Desert, El Paso Zoo

located in El Paso, TX, the El Paso Zoo sits on 35 acres (1400 m2 ) of land and houses over 220 animal species from around the world. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the El Paso Zoo’s mission is to celebrate the value of animals and natural resources and create opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature. Locally recognized as the “Best Place to Take Your Kiddos,” the El Paso Zoo features family favorite attractions like African Star Train, Foster Tree House Playground, and now home to the award winning Chihuahuan Desert exhibit.

Outstanding Pool & Recreational Project

Project Name:
Where Pour in Place Stops

Location:
Blowing Rock, NC

Shotcrete Contractor:
Revolution Gunite

Architect/Engineer:
Waterforge, Inc

Material Supplier/Manufacturer:
Revolution Gunite

Equipment Manufacturer:
Gunite Supply & Cementech

General Contractor:
Artisan Pools and MBI Builders

Project Owner:
Krista Biggard

Honorable Mention Project

Project Name:
Grotto Falls Lagoon

Location:
British Columbia, Canada

Shotcrete Contractor:
Oceanrock Art Ltd.

Architect/Engineer:
Kontur Geotechnical

Material Supplier/Manufacturer:
Cardinal Concrete

Equipment Manufacturer:
Putzmeister

General Contractor:
Oceanrock Art Ltd

Ayla Golf Academy and Clubhouse

For the Ayla Golf Academy and Clubhouse in Aqaba, Jordan, Oppenheim Architecture took inspiration from the surrounding landscape and Bedouin tradition to deliver a distinctive building that evokes the aelemental beauty of the desert and mountains. The design amakes innovative use of shotcrete to create a continuous

The Making of Swamp Thing

It was early November and I was on top of a mountain, at the halfway point of a project that would take 18 months to complete. This is the moment I got a call to help build a swamp, indoors, for a movie set on the coast. We get all sorts of odd requests, but this was a different kind of strange. Without further ado, I said, “Sure, sounds great, when do you need it?” The studio replied, “By Thanksgiving,” as filming was starting the following week. This sort of answer required a little more digging