Founded in 1885, the Texas Bankers Association is the first state banking association in the United States. It is also the largest state-based banking trade organization in the country. The Association focuses on member-centric policies, professional development, issue advocacy, and premier services. Representing a diverse group of Texas banks including large and small, state and national, thrift, and community institutions, it is committed to community development. Its members play a crucial role in bolstering local economies and fortifying Texas communities, embodying their motto of “Strong Banks for Stronger Communities.” To build a new ground-up Headquarters office building in Austin, TX, Texas Bankers Association contracted Beck Group as the main contractor, and utilized Beck Architecture as the project designer. Texas Bomanite was chosen to realize the architect’s vision in decorative concrete throughout the lobby and the entrance to the building.
From Piece of Tile To Total Project
This project was solely designed from a piece of tile that the architect wanted to use in the elevators and bathroom floor and wanted the decorative concrete flooring to match. Over several months, many design meetings, and samples, Texas Bomanite created a white Bomanite Modena TG floor with #3-#5 Bomanite Blanco Mexicano aggregates. Bomanite Modena is one of the Bomanite Custom Polishing Systems. Texas Bomanite included 1/8″ zinc divider strips to break up the floor and tie into the silver finishes throughout the lobby. The architect also wanted a seamless transition from the outside to the inside and Texas Bomanite added on a white Bomanite Revealed™ front entry with the same aggregates. Bomanite Revealed™ is one of the Bomanite Exposed Aggregate Systems. This lobby was the genesis of many projects that showcase a continuous flooring from the inside of the building to the outside of the building created by concrete craftsmen at Texas Bomanite.
Project Presented Complex Challenges
Coordination was required between the structural engineer to place the sub slab control joints with the design intent in mind of the Bomanite Modena TG. The project had hallways emanating from the central lobby and coordinating the pours so that the crew wouldn’t be trapped off of one end of the lobby also took some coordination. The service elevator and pedestrian elevators were all surrounded by Bomanite Modena TG so coordinating the pour schedule with the needs of continued construction throughout the building posed some painstaking planning.
Texas Bomanite used all three of its divisions to complete this project. The polish division performed all interior prep work, installation of zinc strips, and polishing of the Bomanite Modena TG. The concrete division performed the installation of the Bomanite Modena TG and Bomanite Revealed™ decorative concrete, paying close attention that the large aggregates were tightly floated against all of the zinc strips, and against the exposed, curved concrete walls. The front entrance of the building is on a hill so creating and leveling the front steps and ADA ramp posed to be quite difficult. The clean and seal division performed the exterior prep work and exposing and sealing of the Bomanite Revealed™. Challenges also came with the existence of white concrete on a construction site. Many methods of protection and coordination and collaboration with other trades were required to keep the finish white throughout the remainder of construction. The zinc strips also posed challenges. The Bomanite Modena TG had to be polished slowly and with white or neutral tooling to avoid staining the floor. Texas Bomanite had to use various methods to remove the zinc shavings from the floor as they moved through the process.
Two Bomanite Systems Sustain Design Concept
Using two Bomanite Systems to achieve the desired design concepts was necessary in this project. Bomanite Modena TG is an engineered cementitious topping designed for bonding to cured concrete or prepared wood substrates. Once set, this topping is ground to reveal internal aggregates and then polished to the desired gloss level, followed by a protective Bomanite stain-resistant seal or coating. Key benefits include a wide range of colors, diverse aggregate options, superior durability, and a consistent surface appearance. This makes it ideal for high-traffic areas in public buildings like airports, hospitals, government offices, and schools. Bomanite Revealed™ is an architectural concrete that showcases decorative aggregates at varying exposure depths, bound within a unique binder on primed concrete. This system employs preblended binders, light-fast pigments, specialized admixtures, and advanced application techniques to highlight the seeded aggregate. Unlike typical surface-seeded installations, Bomanite Revealed™ achieves 100% exposure of the aggregate without any native sands marring the appearance.
Award Winning Decorative Concrete
Texas Bomanite has a renowned reputation for their expertise in decorative concrete craftsmanship, especially in creating seamless transitions throughout the entry from outdoor to indoor. They were able to exceed the expectations of the project stakeholders. The Texas Bankers Association project benefited from Texas Bomanite’s capabilities and expertise. First impressions are crucial when entering a building, both for employees and potential tenants. The Texas Bankers Association is set to make a stunning first impression for many years to come.
