SOUTHWEST BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR

Southland Masonic Temple recently completed on grounds of the Hollywood Cemetery Association, SantaMonica Blvd., illustrating an advanced step in the architectural treatment of monolithic concretewalls. Morgan, Walls & Clements, Los Angeles, architects; Chester M.Williams, Los Angeles, generalcontractor. -Photo by Mott Studios.

Architectural Treatment of Concrete WallSurfaces Discloses a New Art

Remarkable Effects Secured in Texture of MaterialVariety of Materials Are Used for Form Surfaces

Greater possibilities for the architecturaltreatment of concrete are shown in the con-struction of the Southland Masonic Templerecently completed on the grounds of theHollywood Cemetery Association. By pains-taking experimentation and excellent crafts-manship, coupled with a sound knowledgeof concrete, the architects and contractorhave originated a treatment unique thoughentirely practicable which points to a widerfield in designing for concrete.The building upon which this treatment

was used comprises the first unit of a de-velopment which ultimately will extend alongSanta Monica Blvd. from Van Ness Ave. toGower St. and provide a formal entrance forthe cemetery. The architecture is ItalianRenaissance" but the walls are unmistakablyconcrete and stand upon the merit of con-crete and its treatment for their beauty. Thecompleted building is approximately one-third of the entire project; it is an L-shapedstructure requiring ground space of 100feet square. The formal courtyard with its'gateway on Santa Monica Blvd. serves theMasonic Temple which occupies the secondfloor. The balance of the street frontage istaken up by the building and is divided forshops.

By Don L. Holmes

In planning the construction with concreteseveral sample panels were built. to showthe effect that could be achieved with formliners of various materials and of varyingthicknesses. The regular wall forms con-sisted of 6-in. timber, surfaced one side andtwo edges, braced by ,2 by 4 inch studdingspaced 16 inches. The random ashlar effectwas created by a pattern detailed on the in-side of the outer form. The blocks of thispattern were then covered with the liningmaterials which included Presdwood, rubbermatting, Rubberoid roofing, Sisalkraft, Matta-Horn, studio board of Celotex and Insulite.For blocks that bounded at angles and

window reveals the lining. material wasmitered and continued around. Some of theliners were scored with a chisel or rabbitplane to give a different surface texture. Theliners varied in thickness from a scant one-eighth to a full quarter, and this variation,produced uneven blocks on the surface topermit a play of shadows and greatly in-crease the beauty of the wall.Joints between the blocks were formed

with Ys by Ys inch beveled pine strips. Agood portion of the ornament was cast in

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waste molds which were made right on thejob, due to the fact that they were requiredto bond within a fraction of an inch. .All surfaces except those that might be

affected by alcohol were shellaced and thenthe whole form oiled with usual form oil.Ties were spaced approximately 27 by 32inches apart and were all located throughthe joints between blocks. Although fewspreaders were required, it was the practiceto use a 2 by 3 inch block against the formliner to distribute pressure and eliminateany possibility of a scar when the spreaderwas removed.No difficulty was encountered in placing

concrete with an absolutely smooth and uni-form surface finish. Concrete was placed instory heights with two pours required foreach story. In other words, the walls weredivided by vertical joints at two points.Concrete was proportioned 1-2%-30, with

coarse aggregate ranging to ~ inch in size.An addition was made of one-half sack ofwhite portland cement per cubic yard ofconcrete to give color value and Suconemwas used as .an admixture to facilitate plac-ing. Concrete placing was carried around theope-half section of the story in lifts about27 inches deep and with each subsequentlift ' concrete was puddled throughout thedepth of the lift and into. the lift below. Carewas required, of course, to leave the liningmaterials and joint strips undisturbed.. The surface texture and random ashlareffect are unlike stone and only resembleit because stone has been used to create asimilar effect. The walls of this building arefrankly concrete, but have a warmth andvariation of tone not achieved before.Morgan, Walls & Clements of Los Angeles

were the architects; Chester M. Williams ofLos Angeles, general contractor.