THE BUTLER WINDOW PROJECT AT ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDENS (AUSTIN, TEXAS)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Studio Balcones
DESIGN: - x2 granite “ribbon” walls (approx. 30 lf and 44 lf) built with approx. 7’ long monolithic pieces (approx. 1,700 pounds per) + x1 wall faced with reclaimed 19th century Butler bricks + 4” thick granite capstone wall (approx. 47 lf)
STONE TYPE: - “Sunset Red” Texas Granite (Marble Falls, Texas)
QUARRIER: - Coldspring USA
USA TRUCKERS: - James and his wife Katelynn and Ovaldo Loera / They all deserve my gratitude because without truckers I could not do my work.
RAW SLAB DIMENSIONS DELIVERED: - x3 at 86” x 66” x 14” / approx. 8,000 lbs per - x3 at 86” x 66” x 4”
METHOD: “Reduction” We made plywood templates by pulling our arc dims from a control point to the outer wall face distance. Set the templates atop the slabs and mark the stone. Use 3” shims and wedges to split off rough curved 86” x 12” x 14” pieces. From there we begin reducing the stone to its final wall shape with hand tools.
TEXTURE: “Flamed” or “Thermalled” using Oxygen-Acetylene + number 10 Rosebud tip + 3” crimped wire cup brush attached to a 4-1/2” grinder / rented everything from ALAMO WELDING in East Austin
HAND & POWER TOOLS: 5/8” carbide tipped drill bits, 3” shims & wedges, a variety of hammers and carbide chisels / diamond blade 16” chainsaw / 16” cutoff saw and more
