Today@Arcosanti - Construction category

CONSTRUCTION - NEW VISITORS CENTER ENTRANCE

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:34:34 GMT

We continue our report from 8/27/08 on construction of the new access ramp from the Visitors parking lot to the Crafts III Visitors Center.
The crew of staff, workshop participants and volunteers is working on the upper most part of a six-stage zig-zag ramp.

[Photo & text: sa]

As part of the crew uses wheelbarrows to transports the concrete, another group distributes it evenly between the form and yet another team screeds, using the carefully surveyed surface edge of the form for guide.
A large bull-float is used to smoothen the surface of the concrete.

[Photo & text: sa]

[from upper left] All of the concrete for this part of the ramp has been poured. Now the crew is fine-fishing the surface, as well as cutting grooves every 5 feet into the suface of the ramp.
Carefully applied even strokes of a hard bristle wide broom roughens the surface and the last step is application of concrete sealant.
The first step of the ramp is complete. See upcoming report on 9/3/08 for the next pour on another part of this ramp.

[Photo & text: sa]

CONSTRUCTION - NEW VISITORS CENTER ENTRANCE

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:40:49 GMT

On 7/16/08 and 8/8/08 we posted our last two reports on the new access ramp from the visitors parking lot to the Crafts III Visitors Center. In the interval a lot of hard work was done to completely prepare the six-part ramp for concrete to be poured.
Now, and especially with the recent cement donation [see 8/25 report], the crew is ready and excited to pour the first stage of the ramp, the uppermost portion, part six.

[Photo & text: sa]

The crew started mixing concrete at daybreak to take advantage of the cool early morning.
[from upper left] Crew chief Ron Chandler wets the surface of the slope.
The closest the concrete truck could get to the slope was at the south-east corner of the visitors parking lot, quite a distance from the work site.

[Photo & text: sa]

A rotating crew with four wheel barrows moved loads of concrete to the second crew, starting the work at the lowest part of slope 6.
Report continues on 8/29/08.

[Photo & text: sa]

DONATION OF CEMENT

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:26:34 GMT

Part one of a two-part donation from SRMG arrived at Arcosanti.

This generous donation of many bags of cement was graciously contributed by the Salt River Materials Group (SRMG).
In 2003, the marketing activities of Phoenix Cement Company and Salt River Sand and Rock were integrated under the Salt River Materials Group (SRMG) commercial trade name to better capitalize on the synergies of related products for the concrete products industry. Head quartered at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community's (SRP-MIC) Chaparral Business Park near Scottsdale, AZ, SRMG is currently a leading supplier of portland and masonry cements, fly ash and other pozzolans, both normal and light weight aggregates, and natural gypsum products throughout Arizona and the Southwestern United States.

[Photo: sa & text: Nelson DeLaRosa, SRMG]

Salt River Materials Group is also a leader promoting sustainable products and practices in its industries. With over two decades of experience producing and marketing blended cements and coal combustion products to the concrete industry, SRMG has helped pioneer the use of recycled materials, using its uniquely integrated experience and expertise in the development of new applications.

[Photo: sa & text: SRMG]

We thank the management of the Salt River Materials Group (SRMG) for this generous donation. This will allow for the building of the handicap access ramp from the visitors parking lot to the visitors center, to better serve the entire community.
We continue this report on 8/27/08.

[Photo: sa & text: Nelson DeLaRosa]