By: Richard Ward
(Dimensional Stone, December, 1998)
When imagination, nature, technology and skill are combined, great things are achievable. With this combination, waterjet makes great works in stone possible.
Pamela Anderson of Anderson Miller Ltd., the interior designer of the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, Ind., wanted to incorporate the ivy design of the lobby’s carpet, in stone, and add a geometric pattern to go along with the contemporary theme of the hotel. In fact, a portion of the carpet design was replicated in the stone, allowing the intricate abilities of waterjet cutting to be used in full. At a glance, it is difficult to see if portions of the work are carpet or stone.
Precision H2O of Spokane, Washington, a member of Waterjet Connection, were presented with a photo of the carpet and given the challenge of replicating it in stone. The company scanned the photo into the computer and cleaned it up. It was then re-drawn, broken down into the various sections, laid out and cut into the marble and granite.
Before a single tile was shipped out, the entire mosaic was laid out on the shop floors to ensure that each piece fit together perfectly. Each part was carefully inspected for cracks and polishing imperfections, ensuring a flawless design.
Knowledge and experience always play a dominant role in being able to complete a project on time and satisfactorily. With the development of waterjet cutting technology, specifically in the areas of controllers and software, it is becoming easier to pre-program certain critical functions automatically. There are even CAD/CAM service centers which will prepare the entire job ready to be cut.
From the beginning, general contractor Jason Rusk of Pepper Construction, had several concerns specific to the installation and supply of the stone floor in the lobby of Westin Hotel in Indianapolis. Would the stones all fit together? Would the shapes be consistent? How difficult would the installation process be and would it delay the project? What about the different joint sizes specified in different parts of the design? Would all the stones be the same thickness?
These are all genuine concerns. Especially when taking into consideration that the final shaping of the stone was being done in a shop across the country. But all were concerns that waterjet cutting is able to handle.
The entire job was shipped with complete installation drawings, each part being numbered, not only on the installation layout, but on the back of each part. Portions of the design consisted of leaves with four or five pieces each, some of the parts being as small as 1/8" across. These, and other smaller items, were pre-assembled for ease of handling, reducing the projected installation time.
The entire waterjet cutting process took four days to complete using two waterjet systems and three cutting heads. This excludes the set-up time, planning and project coordination which, in itself, can often be the most time consuming part.
As a combination of marble and granite from different parts of the world were used, each having their own unique thickness, adjustment of the sub-floor to accommodate the variances was necessary.
The completion yielded three "stone carpets" crafted in a field using 24" x 24" Dynasty Black Granite from China selected and supplied by Impex Development of Seattle, Wash., from their own quarries. "The stone carpets feature a mixture of waterjet cutting and hand-cut sections assembled by our people in China," said Terry Thompson, co-owner of Impex Development. "This cooperation resulted in an affordable system of material and installation."
So when traveling on business or pleasure, if you are passing through Indianapolis, make sure to visit or stay at the Westin Hotel. The lobby alone will carve its own impression in your memory.
