Broad Museum
Los Angeles, CA- GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)
- 2015 PCI National Award Winner
Providing Innovative Solutions to Creative Precast Designs
GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)
Typical GFRC Panel Section
Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete is made of a ¾" minimum thick cementitious skin, reinforced with alkali resistant glass fibers, and attached to a metal stud frame system. GFRC can be formed into ornate shapes, and its light weight provides many benefits for high rise buildings.
Panel Description
GFRC provides designers with a lightweight and cost-effective skin choice with almost limitless design options. GFRC is a composite panel that consists of a 3/4" thick fiber reinforced cementitious skin attached to a steel frame. The overall panel system thickness is determined by both project and GFRC design requirements in combination with the project design intent. This lightweight panel system that is approximately 20 pounds per square foot at flat sections, is also well known for its ability to be produced in very ornate shapes. It's light weight also means that structural steel costs for high rise buildings can be less expensive. The GFRC frame can also be used to place insulation and attach interior finishes, saving additional costs for interior stud framing. Since the skin is fabricated in a spray process, providing multiple colors in the same panel is an economical design option. Light and Heavy sandblast finishes can also provide a contrasting look within the same panel. Form liners may be used to make GFRC emulate other building materials like wood, limestone, brick, or almost any unique form shape the designer might create for a specific project. Adhering granite or Limestone veneers to the face of GFRC is a design option that takes full advantage of the speed with which this pre-fabricated panel system can be installed and the moisture barrier that GFRC provides. GFRC is produced by first spraying the custom face mix throughout the entire form. The color and final sandblasted finish are chosen by the Architect. The glass fiber reinforced concrete composite is then sprayed over the entire form area to cover the face mix. Multiple passes are used to spray ¾" of GFRC. The structural frame typically consists of structural tube members. L or T Shaped galvanized pins are welded to the structural frame and the frame is set so that the horizontal legs of the pins just touch the back of the GFRC. The same GFRC material is then placed over the horizontal legs of each pin to bond the frame and skin. The following morning each panel is stripped from its form and receives it's approved sandblast finish. Before finalizing the design of your next project, contact Willis Constructions Design Build team to take full advantage of the many design options and cost savings of GFRC.
Architectural Design Options
Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete panel mix designs come in a wide range of colors and textures. There are no standard colors. All of our mix designs are custom made to the designer's choice of color and sand blasted texture. Light sandblasted finishes leave the matrix color in place and the surface fairly smooth. A heavy sandblasted finish will expose the sand aggregates in the mix to create a completely different look. Utilizing Light and Heavy sandblasted finishes in the same panel, or project, is a common design option. Custom Form liners can make the surface of GFRC simulate other natural materials such as Brick, Wood, or Stone. Adhering Limestone, and Granite veneers to the face of GFRC is also an option.
Contact Willis Construction to discuss your project's specific design.
GFRC Projects
Hollywood Park Office
Inglewood, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Architect:
Gensler
General Contractor:
Pankow
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Architect:
NBBJ
General Contractor:
McCarthy
Contra Costa Administration Building
Martinez, CAGFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and Architectural Precast
2022 PCI National Award Winner
Architect:
Fentress
General Contractor:
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Broad Museum
Los Angeles, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project Description
Architect:
Diller Scofidio Renfro
Executive Architect:
Gensler
General Contractor:
Matt Construction Co.
1700 Pavilion
Summerlin, NVGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Architect:
Hart Howerton
General Contractor:
Whiting Turner
San Jose State University Campus Village
San Jose, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Niles Bolton Associates
General Contractor:
Clark Construction
599 Castro Office
Mountain View, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete and Limestone on Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete Back-Up
Full Project Description
Architect:
Arc Tec, Inc.
General Contractor:
Devcon Construction
Serif and The Line Hotel At 950 Market Street
San Francisco, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project Description
Architect:
Handel Architects
General Contractor:
Lend Lease
San Jose Police Facility
San Jose, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Ross Drulis Cusenbury Architecture
General Contractor:
S J Amoroso
Sutardja Dai Hall
Berkeley, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete with custom board form liner. PCI National Merit Award Winner.
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Smith Group
General Contractor:
Hathaway Dinwiddie
Esquire Plaza
Sacramento, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete at Tower. Architectural Precast at the Ground Floor to 5th Floor
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
HOK
General Contractor:
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
City Heights
San Jose, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Architect:
Berger Detmer Ennis
General Contractor:
Barry Swenson Builders
360 South Market Residences
San Jose, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Architect:
Solomon Cordwell Buenz
General Contractor:
Bovis Lend Lease
Brooks Brothers
Beverly Hills, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Allan Greenberg Architect
General Contractor:
Peck/Jones
Ignacio Center
Walnut Creek, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Architect:
ADD Inc
General Contractor:
Bovis Lend Lease
Crown City Plaza
Pasadena, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Architect:
Langdon Wilson
General Contractor:
PCL Construction
SF State University Mashouf Wellness Center
San Francisco, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
WRNS Studio
General Contractor:
C W Driver Builders
Tamian Place
San Jose, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Architect:
Barry Swenson Builders
General Contractor:
Barry Swenson Builders
Citrus Tower Corporate Plaza
Riverside, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors; Granite adhered GFRC at Base
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Nadel Architects
General Contractor:
McCormick Construction Co.
Corona Pointe Office Complex
Corona, CAArchitectural Precast and Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project DescriptionArchitect:
Nestor + Gaffney Architecture
General Contractor:
Rexco Development
State Veterans Home
West Los Angeles, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete using multiple colors
Architect:
Smith Group/URS
General Contractor:
S J Amoroso
SOMA Hotel
San Francisco, CAGlass Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Full Project Description
Architect:
Hornberger Worstell Architects
General Contractor:
Hathaway Dinwiddie
Willis Construction has been providing Architectural Precast Concrete building panels and products for the construction industry since 1979. Willis Construction is dedicated to providing Owners, Architects, and General Contractors with the design and engineering expertise necessary to meet the building challenges of today and the future. The quality, durability, and long life of Architectural Precast Concrete, Thinshell, and GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) systems provide a wide range of design options for virtually every type of building. Contact us to decide which system would be best suited for your next project.
Noteworthy Precast Projects
Hollywood Park Office
Inglewood, CA- Pre-Glazed GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)
- 2022 PCI National Award Winner
1550 Mission Street Housing
San Francisco, CA- Architectural Precast
- 2021 PCI National Award Winner
- See Architects Comments
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Los Angeles, CA- Architectural Precast
- 2021 PCI National Award Winner
- See Architects Comments
Projects in Progress
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