POURED CONCRETE SPECIALISTS, INC
The Nature of Water & Rock
Project Location: Amherst, WI
Total Retail Price: $5,000
Weight: 500 lbs
Concrete Mix: CHENG Pro-Formula in Charcoal and Stone
Other Materials: Stone from local quarry, recycled barn beams and concrete blocks, dried hydrangea blossom, ammonite
Turnaround time: 10 Days
NATURAL ELEMENTS
Nathan Yates draws on the power of nature in his meditative water feature, The Nature of Water & Rock. The versatile character of concrete allowed for a multi-textural result that appeals to the senses. He used concrete for its “sculptural quality” and because of the wide array of finishes that are possible with the medium. Yates, co-owner of Poured Concrete Specialists, also confesses, “Concrete is cool!”
Project Objective + Client Feedback
The client wanted the piece to be clean-lined and have contrasting surface qualities, which Yates achieved by using both cast and sandblasted concrete. The overall design and functionality required an open base stand with a concealed water re-circulating system.
The final result has the client amazed by the look and feel of the contrasting finishes. According to Yates, everyone who has experienced this water feature first-hand has been “entranced.”
Design + Expertise
This was the first major project completed by the team at Poured Concrete Specialists using new casting and finishing techniques gained from the CHENG Concrete’s 5-day Advanced Countertop Design Training. After attending the training in January 2010, the biggest challenge of the project was schedule; they were on a tight timeframe to complete the piece by February. Luckily, the team was able to receive tools and materials from CHENG Concrete that enabled them to finish on time.
Yates, who has been working with decorative concrete for 10 years (acid staining and stamping), used other materials in addition to concrete. He used stones from a local Wisconsin quarry for the water channel which were each hand-selected in order to create a natural rhythm to the flow of water. Recycled concrete blocks for the legs add another eco-friendly element. For the base stand, Yates explains, “I used old wood beams from the hayloft of a barn intended to remind us of man’s reliance on natural elements for everyday life.”
As accents, Yates made an impression of a dry hydrangea blossom on the back joint and embedded an ammonite (the spiral shell of an extinct sea creature) in one of the concrete slabs. According to Yates, “These forms act as a reminder of the beauty and intelligence of natural design that we see on our planet.”
BEST WATER FEATURE: Nathan Yates, Poured Concrete Specialists, Inc.
CHENG Concrete’s 6th Annual Members’ Circle of Distinction Design Challenge
Recognized in the industry as the pinnacle of exceptional design and craftsmanship, the 2010 CHENG Concrete Circle of Distinction Design Challenge showcases talent and technical skill of the very best in creative concrete. With over 100 entries, each were judged and then awarded in 11 categories on elements and principles of design, design planning, innovative concept/creativity, use of color, presentation, innovative forming techniques, problem solving, and creatively meeting the demands of the client.
Poured Concrete Specialists’ The Nature of Water & Rock was awarded the Best Water Feature for this year’s design challenge. According to Fu-Tung Cheng, head juror, “It’s so simple, yet elegant. It shows how you can make a complex, layered piece from a collection of relatively simple shapes.”
ABOUT POURED CONCRETE SPECIALISTS
With a combined 55 years of concrete experience, Poured Concrete Specialists is dedicated to mastering the versatile medium; their projects include countertops, integral sinks, water features, fireplace surrounds, furniture, and floors.
Their foundation lies in conventional concrete construction that shows a strong grasp of the technical aspects of concrete finishes and forms. Designers, contractors, and homeowners are bound to notice the care and detail with which Poured Concrete Specialists’ team of craftsmen works.
CONTACT
Poured Concrete Specialists, Inc.
Nathan Yates
1720 Tamarack Street
Plover, WI 54467
Phone: 715.342.1751
www.pouredconcretespecialists.com