The Campus at Waterview is a building portfolio in the Denver Tech Center that consists of three Class-A LEED Certified office buildings. Each building has stunning views of the mountains and offers a variety of amenities, including proximity to shopping, restaurants, and public transportation. The Waterview buildings were constructed between 1999 and 2001 with various remodels taking place since 2014.
The entry terrace at Waterview III was remodeled and included renovation of the exterior entry paving. It was ultimately decided by the contractor, the landscape architect, and the project designer that Colorado Hardscapes would perform the decorative concrete work, even though the bidding process indicated another contractor. A two-decade long relationship between Solara Designs and Colorado Hardscapes heavily influenced this decision and all parties agreed that Colorado Hardscapes was the optimal choice and only firm capable of executing the desired design.
Customization at its Finest
The landscape architect visited the design center at Colorado Hardscapes and after extensive discussion with Project Manager John Buteyn and consideration of numerous samples, a custom color palate was requested. Colorado Hardscapes was more than happy to accommodate this request, from which the final design and materials were selected.
Colorado Hardscapes utilized Bomanite Exposed Aggregate Systems, including Bomanite Sandscape Texture and Sandscape Refined. Sandscape Texture with a custom dark brown color was selected for the field areas and two colors of Sandscape Refined, white and light gray, were used to create the accent banding.
Durable and Decorative Concrete
Bomanite Sandscape Texture is designed for outdoor applications where an alternate to conventional concrete finishes is required. Sandscape Texture, one of four Exposed Aggregate Systems offered by Bomanite for architectural concrete surfaces, utilizes specialized concrete mix designs, additives, topical treatments, and advanced application procedures. The finished Sandscape Texture product resembles sand blasted concrete and can incorporate specialized colored sands in the concrete and aggregates exceeding 3/8” in diameter. The final product is an economical alternate to other decorative finishes while producing a monolithic concrete slab with a low life cycle cost due to the pre-aged nature of the surface. Applications include plazas, shopping centers, schools, and exterior walkways—anywhere improved wear resistance for light- to moderate-duty vehicular or foot traffic is necessary. These highly durable surfaces are available in a multitude of standard and custom options, including light-reflective formulations that reduce heat island effect.
Bomanite Sandscape Refined is a fine aggregate exposed aggregate concrete system engineered for outdoor applications. Sandscape Refined is another of the four Exposed Aggregate Systems offered by Bomanite for architectural concrete surfaces and utilizes specialized Bomanite Color Hardener blends, standard or decorative aggregates, and advanced application procedures. The finished Sandscape Refined product resembles fine textured stone or etched limestone block with light sand exposure throughout the surface. Due to the use of Bomanite Color Hardener, these highly durable surfaces are available in a multitude of standard and custom colors.
Design Changes Result in Design Wins
Additionally, the raised planters also feature a Sandscape Refined finish. The planter bed walls were originally going to be pre-cast, but after deliberations between the landscape architect and Colorado Hardscapes, it was decided to use Sandscape Refined. The planter walls were covered in a light color hardener and did not require the use of white cement. The use of Sandscape Refined provided an excellent alternative to the imported precast planters that had originally been considered.
The texture and colors of the Sandscape Texture and Sandscape Refined are a perfect complement to the precast concrete on the building and accentuate the building’s architecture and design aesthetic while adding durability and beautiful detail to the Waterview Campus. The superior decorative concrete installation by Colorado Hardscapes showcases their commitment to providing the highest quality decorative and architectural concrete and their willingness to go above and beyond on every single job.
