Project: Energy Tower IV Office Building
Finish Interior
The Energy Tower IV Office Building project is the fourth Class A building in the Energy Plaza Office Park located in the “Energy Corridor” of Houston. While Energy Tower I was constructed using Roman Travertine, the owner and Architect preferred a more homogeneous, color consistent and durable product for Energy Tower II, III and IV that would better withstand the everyday traffic anticipated in a fully occupied office tower. They chose marble resin based agglomerate as the main wall and flooring component. While this material is very durable, it is nearly impossible to patch due to the uniformity of the color and grain structure. Extreme care was required to eliminate chipping during the handling and installation process. Even the potential chipping of the delicate post installed stone edges was addressed by Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd. (CMS) through the use of a proprietary diamond impregnated tool developed specifically for the project. The tool was used to micro-bevel the finished edges of the installed flooring prior to grouting in order to minimize the probability of edge chipping. CMS brought together its office and field management staff to design a prototype. Once satisfied with the design, CMS worked with its miscellaneous metals fabricator to construct the tools which were then sent overseas to be electroplated with industrial diamonds. The tools had to have sufficient heft and length in order to be used as a hand-operated micro plane to install a very small and smooth bevel on the edges of all paver stones. Additionally, due to the fast-track construction pace of the project and the close proximity of other trades, protection of the stone was paramount.
Finally, the design required a high degree of precision as several stone system elements had to align perfectly with other building components in an installation covering hundreds of linear feet on two floors. This was inclusive of over 2,100 linear feet of polished solid stainless steel bar set in the stone floors and walls. The bar was projected from the wall and aligned with tops of doors, soffits, plaster reveals and other architectural elements. It continued through pilasters and wall corners at multiple elevations and was run vertically at various material terminations. The bar was then mitered, welded and polished at all outside corners giving the visual impression of continuous banding.
The end result is a visually stunning interior executed to the highest standards which will provide a durable installation for the owner and occupants