Commercial Building Receives a Makeover

Temple B’nai Torah uses DRY-BLOCK® to retain its “old world” look

Project
Temple B’nai Torah
Owner
Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue, WA
Architect
Schacht Aslani Architects, Seattle, WA
Block Producer
Mutual Materials, Bellevue, WA
GCP Solution
DRY-BLOCK® admixture

Project

Bringing a historic look to a new commercial building

Bringing the look of old world Jerusalem to a region known for technological innovation is no small feat, especially when the project budget is of the utmost concern. So when a small congregation that started on Mercer Island needed to find a larger home, the elders of the synagogue set out to have a new commercial building designed that would blend ancient Jerusalem with the contemporary Northwest: the Temple B’nai Torah.

"Because the building is a social and religious gathering space, we wanted a material that could give us the look of Jerusalem stone."
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Walter Schacht,

Schacht Aslani Architects

Waterproofing in a rainy climate

Architect Walter Schacht of Schacht Aslani Architects wanted a cost-effective, durable exterior material that would look like ancient stone. Masonry concrete block was blended in three custom colors to evoke the creamy hues of buildings in Jerusalem.
“Using blended block is rather unusual,” said Schacht. “We randomly mixed the differently colored blocks to create the appearance of stone walls that gives the building a sense of permanence.”

In addition, the new commercial building needed to be able to withstand the climate of the Northwest, with an average of 150 rainy days a year, so a water repellant admixture was required.

"This project is elevating block beyond traditional design concepts."
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Mike Fletcher, 

Mutual Materials

Leveraging low-maintenance building products

To protect against water penetration and keep the temple looking as intended, DRY-BLOCK® integral water-repellant block admixture and DRY-BLOCK® mortar admixture from GCP were specified.

Used in the construction of educational, industrial, and commercial buildings, DRY-BLOCK® minimizes absorption of water into the concrete masonry units, reducing the likelihood of moisture problems throughout the life of the building. It’s a solution that helps eliminate surface staining, reduces the need for maintenance, and makes using masonry blocks a more cost-effective choice.

The result is a beautiful, award-winning building in Bellevue, Washington that incorporates masonry block, steel, and glass. “Block isn’t easy to blend, and this project is elevating block beyond traditional design concepts.” said Mike Fletcher, the architectural sales representative at Mutual Materials.

Blue360sm Product Performance Advantage.
Because every project, large or small, deserves the best level of protection.

"It’s a solution that helps eliminate surface staining, reduces the need for maintenance, and makes using masonry blocks a more cost-effective choice."

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Last Updated: 2023-04-25

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