2018
San Rafael, California
REFURBISHMENT OF AN ARCHITECTURAL ICON
One of the more prominent works of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright the design intent sought to consolidating county services in a centralized space with an open air feel and an abundance of natural light. The Marin County Civic Center just north of San Francisco effectively addresses the needs of the local populace while catering to tourists and architectural devotees year round.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The site features 2 buildings: a 580 foot long, 4 story Administration Building completed in 1962 and a 3 story 880 foot long structure known as the Hall of Justice completed in 1969. The 2 buildings are connected at 120 degree angle by an 80 foot diameter rotunda and all 3 sections feature a concrete roof. Since opening, liquid applied roofing options have been employed to protect the interior and have met with varying degrees of success.
Beginning in the spring of 2016, Sika was engaged along with 2 other manufacturers to evaluate the possibility of recoating the existing surface. While Sika was able to achieve acceptable adhesion to the existing surface, it was a collective decision among the owner and design team to remove all existing coating to effectively address numerous blisters and related defects and eliminate instances of ponding water.
An evaluation process was soon commissioned involving three different manufacturers encompassing both on site testing and accelerated laboratory testing. Based on the aggregated results of this testing, the functionality, availability and compatibility of Sika products, and the accompanying technical support, the Sikalastic RoofPro-641 Lo-VOC system was selected as the single source solution with no substitutions permitted. The chosen system features a single component polyurethane resin requiring no mixing and generates minimal waste. When coupled with the highly conformable Sika Reemat Premium reinforcing scrim, Sikalastic-641 Lo-VOC offers a smooth, seamless system which satisfied the historical preservation guidelines.
The project was awarded in the fall of 2017 with work commencing in the spring of 2018 and was completed in January of 2020.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS ADDRESSED BY SIKA
- Since the Marin County Civic Center is a historically significant structure, the repair solution could not adversely impact final appearance. Sika Reemat fiberglass reinforcement furnished a highly conformable, seamless option preserving the architectural look of the original design.
- As the project progressed, the need for significant concrete repairs and resloping was discovered. Sika supplied all needed concrete repair and sloping products using compatible Sika Products while keeping the original warranted system.
- Enhanced manufacturer involvement / oversight was required by the owner. Sika Technical Services furnished substrate review, application monitoring, and/or verification of cured material thickness on a pre-determined weekly basis.
- Large open-air spaces and operable skylights are present in and around the structure. The Sikalastic RoofPro line features our 641 Lo-VOC low odor formulation which allowed employees to work uninhibited.
PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
OWNER: County of Marin
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Arntz Builders
WATERPROOFING CONTRACTOR: Rainbow Waterproofing
SURFACE PREP CONTRACTOR: PARC
ARCHITECT: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Emeryville, CA
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