“CMU enabled us the flexibility and freedom to achieve a contemporary building using a timeless material. The Renton School District will benefit from the durability and maintainability of this material for years to come.”
– Andrew Cottrill, Project Architect, BLRB Architects
When the Renton School District sought to build a state-of-the-art early childhood center, they wanted a contemporary educational facility that encouraged learning in a radiant, welcoming atmosphere. Little did they know that upon completion they would earn a Citation Award from American School and University Magazine.
BLRB Architects was given creative license to design a building that would endure for generations while exuding visual appeal different than the traditional gray concrete block or red brick that was prominently used for schools in past decades.
Thinking outside the box, BLRB chose a variety of block colors, textures, and sizes for a more contemporary aesthetic. This particular CMU features CarbonCure technology that utilizes recycled carbon dioxide (CO2) to improve its compressive strength. The CO2 from smokestacks is repurposed by injecting it into the concrete, where it chemically converts into a solid mineral. CarbonCure is one of several emerging technologies that are making concrete masonry units safer, stronger and greener.
