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Masonry Industry Promotion Group
Project Focus
The Lewis and Clark High School (LC) project is very interesting in many aspects. It has a significant place in the history of this community and has touched the lives of thousands of Spokane residents. At the recent grand opening ceremonies, graduates from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and each decade thereafter were in attendance to celebrate the renewal of the facility. LC has a fond place in the memories of many, many people in this community. Over the years this fondness has generated a rich infusion of pride that has manifested itself in other accessory gifts to its students and the community. For example, the now restored 300-plus collection of artwork is on glorious display throughout the school's hallways. The 33-rank Austin Organ (with 2,364 pipes) was originally a gift from patrons in the early 1920s and is now outfitted with computerized controls and relays within the original console. This allows digital recording of all performances and students to play computer-composed music on the organ. Seventeen sculptural plaster friezes have been restored to their original rich luster, looking more like polished marble carvings than plain plaster. But apart from these accessories and the compelling human warmth and generosity that generated them, LC is also very interesting from many vantage points related to its architecture and its bricks and mortar.
Built in 1911, this building was designed in the neoclassical Collegiate Gothic style - a style commonly used to represent the architectural personality of educational facilities everywhere in that day and age. Masonry, terra cotta and stone were key elements to the overall architecture and the expression of the Collegiate Gothic style. The combination of brick, terra cotta and the salt-and-pepper granite base are a rich mix of materials that convey a sense of institutional substance and design quality that other materials cannot achieve. Due to the strength of the design and these materials, it gave us clear direction to use a comparable palette of materials in the new addition and adjacent Field House. Amazingly the original 90-year-old brick was in great condition. We undertook test cleaning in advance of bidding the final project, and we found that the original smooth-face brick did not attract the weather abuse or dirt and grime of other materials. We could clean the brick with ordinary water or (water and mild dish wash soap) and fully restore its original luster. A fair amount of mortar repointing was necessary, but degradation was generally fairly shallow and not to the point of undermining the integrity of the brick. The terra cotta required more aggressive cleaning with a mild acid-based cleaner. The glaze had crazed and spalled over the years, attracting deeper stains and grime. Perhaps 3% of the units had failed structurally, requiring reconstruction and special epoxies. The glaze was restored with specialty compounds specifically designed for terra cotta. It's amazing how technology and good chemistry can restore the terra cotta. Additionally,
the granite base cleaned up brilliantly. The chiseled granite caused
dirt and grime to cling to its relatively rough surface. Again, the
use of mild acid-based cleaner restored the granite wonderfully, bringing
out the sparkle of the mica or quartz in the rock matrix. Historic
preservation guidelines suggested that we should not copy the original
materials and design patterns, but rather complement them in compatible
ways. Thus we used a wire-cut brick - similar in color and luster to
the original weathered smooth-face brick, but different in its larger
economy size. We also used integrally colored precast as a reinterpretation
of the original terra cotta ornament. |
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© 2003 - 2006 Janet Crosby all rights reserved
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