Boston – As the housing market continues to recover, one bright spot is multi family construction. There is growing demand for multi unit dwellings, whether apartments, hotels, or college and university housing. From smaller condo buildings and mixed use facilities to high rises and student residence halls, precast concrete has a great deal to offer for the construction and long-term performance of these structures.
The nature of precast components brings a level of efficiency to the construction process. Having the panels engineered and cast off site minimizes site disturbance and the significantly decreases the amount of space needed for erection. Closely monitored and inspected plant conditions also adds a level of quality assurance not found with site-cast components. And beyond the construction phase, the performance attributes of precast concrete are uniquely suited to this building type. Hollowcore floors provide unmatched sound attenuation and also enable architects to work with long spans to create large, modular spaces. Concrete is uniquely resistant to mold and helps create excellent indoor air quality. These are just some of the reasons architects in the northeast are choosing precast concrete for their multifamily and hospitality projects. One example of precast being used for multifamily work is The Victor, which is a 12-story mixed-use project in Boston. The Victor combines 288 residential units with 17,000sf of retail and features a three-level, 138-space above-grade parking garage. Boston architecture firm ADD, Inc., chose precast architectural panels with thin brick and textured finishes from Coreslab Structures for this project because of the costs savings, rapid construction qualities and low maintenance the material can deliver. Precast was also selected to deliver a combination of aesthetics and constructability for the 28-story Avalon Exeter Residences at Prudential Center in Boston. The 187-unit apartment building, which began precast erection in February 2013, features an architectural precast design by Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston. Strescon Ltd. is manufacturing and erecting the 406 architectural concrete panels that will enclose the building.
Student housing is another building type ideally suited to precast concrete. Residence halls are a long-term investment for educational institutions and need to be built to last. Precast concrete offers the kind of durability and long life these structures require. In addition, the speed of construction inherent with well-thought-out precast design and erection enables work to take place around academic schedules, thereby minimizing site disturbance on campus. Construction scheduling and durability are important, but foremost in the minds of most architects working with student housing is the functionality and flexibility of the buildings they are designing. Colleges and universities want their residence halls to stand the test of time, but also allow for the ability to change and adapt the interiors as needs change over the years.
This was certainly inherent in the choices made by Pawtucket, R.I.-based Lerner Ladd + Bartels Architects when they designed Hillside Hall at the University of Rhode Island. The LEED Silver, 120,000sf, 429-bed residence hall employs 8-inch-thick hollowcore planks supplied by Oldcastle Precast for the floors, ceilings and roof. Long and thin hollowcore planks allow for large, open areas free of supports or beams. This is perfect for large, open lounges and common rooms and also enables some flexibility with internal wall placement and design. Using precast concrete hollowcore for the floors and ceilings of a building like this also has many performance advantages. The inherent thermal mass of concrete smoothes peak heating and cooling demands, which saves energy. A nonflammable material, concrete also has obvious fire safety benefits and minimizes the need for additional fireproofing. And with more emphasis being placed on indoor air quality, architects are also finding that precast concrete provides moisture control that helps control mold and mildew.
Students are not always known for keeping quiet, but concrete floors and ceilings deliver a high level of sound attenuation that any student studying for finals will be thankful for. Anyone who has ever had to deal with the noise, vibrations and footsteps of upstairs neighbors can appreciate the value of a concrete ceiling. Like apartment buildings and residence halls, hotels must also house large number of people in a comfortable manner. Architects and contractors working on hotel projects face many of the same challenges and opportunities presented by multi family projects. Things like acoustics, indoor air quality and energy efficiency are very important in hospitality construction. Designers continue to find ways to make the most of the material attributes of precast concrete in their hotel designs. The Fenway Residence Inn by Marriott is part of an urban redevelopment initiative in the area surrounding Boston’s famed Fenway Park. The $60-million, eight-story project includes 6,000 square feet of ground-level retail and restaurant space, as well as 175 guest rooms. The architects at Group One Partners in Boston chose hollowcore for the job in part because using one component for floor and ceiling saves enough floor-to-floor height to allow an additional floor to be added. This project demonstrates the ways that precast can work in concert with other materials and systems to achieve design and performance goals. It uses a unique Girder-Slab System (developed by Girder-Slab Technologies of Cherry Hill, N.J.) that allows the steel frame to be erected and then precast hollowcore planks installed.The system uses a D-Beam that supports the hollowcore. Precaster J.P. Carrara & Sons manufactured the 920 precast hollowcore planks used in the hotel. The extra- wide, 8 x 8 ft. planks reduced the total number needed for the project and minimized seams. A finish called “carpet ready” allows a direct flooring application to the hollowcore planks.
Speed of erection was one of the main reasons precast was chosen for this project, and that is a common element among many precast multifamily projects. Precast concrete is an ideal material for building in tight urban areas. Construction projects using precast takes up very little space beyond the building footprint. When long- term performance is combined with fast and efficient construction, with qualities like energy efficiency, indoor air quality, fire prevention, acoustic control and durability, it’s clear why architects and contractors in the northeast are choosing precast concrete.
