Commercial Architecture June 2017 - 53

PROJECT

exteriors

Veneers emulate stacked stone and are designed to fit tight dimensional tolerances. Coarse texture gives the
building an additional aesthetic.

sales, Adams Products, Greensboro, NC. "It's built into their process and part of

The look that works in Irvine, California.

what is appealing to a franchisee-the fact that they are able to begin operating and
making money in just over a month. However, it's a very tight deadline for the
contractor, and they need every advantage to bring the project in on time while also
meeting Sonic's stringent quality expectations."
For the Weaverville project, the co-contractors, QED Solutions, Weaverville,
NC, and Trace Hawke Construction, Joplin, MO, sought to build the restaurant out
of masonry block. "Our company has partnered with Sonic management to build a
number of their restaurants in the past, and we traditionally used wood framing,"
said Trace Hawke, construction company owner. "After taking notice of the big-box
companies building with masonry block, I wondered if that might be a solution for
Sonic in order to meet their desire to build a stronger, yet economical building. I
met with my architect and together we designed a block building that would work
anywhere in the country and eliminate any structural issues."
In addition to being a good structural solution, Hawke was pleasantly surprised

Koll Airport Professional Center Renovation, Irvine, CA
ARCHITECT: LPA, Inc., Irvine, CA
THE LOOK THAT WORKS: Clear-anodized aluminum sun controls
reduce energy costs, and contribute to LEED credits.

at the additional efficiency that block brings to a fast-tracked program. With so
many stub ups in various places in the floor-such as mechanical, cabling, conduit,
and plumbing-building with a steel or wood stud wall leaves little to no room for
error in placement. With block's modular design, the contractor can place a footer,
then lay the first course of block, and then start pulling measurements. The floor
doesn't have to be poured like it does with a stud wall to start the building, so the

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mechanical contractor, plumber, and electrician can all begin working at the same
up on the building. Once completed, the floor can be poured.
"With the split-face block, I can do my veneer and structure all in one step and
also perform all of my subcontracting work," explained Hawke. "In addition to the
speed at which we can build, the block building offers additional benefits to the

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time, and allow installation of the underground conduit while the walls are going

LOUVERS | SUN CONTROLS | GRILLES
CIRCLE 220

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture June 2017