Masonry Magazine June 1984 Page. 18
ABOUT OUR COVER
Two-Story Round Arch
Makes Corporate Facility Unique
A unique circular brick arch nearly 50 ft. in diameter is the entrance and focal point of the new Nippon Electric Corporation building in Boxborough, Mass. The all-brick, two-story structure contains offices, warehouse space and manufacturing facilities.
Constructing the unusually large arch to the architect's specifications was a carefully engineered, painstaking task, according to Michael Cady, project manager with the Manganaro Corporation, mason contractors. It was necessary to build a substantial amount of temporary shoring until the brick were laid out and set. A concealed, reinforced concrete bond beam was incorporated into the arch ring for additional strength.
"Adding to the complexity," said Cady, "was the wide rim of corbelling around the circle and extending above the roof line. In order to assure accuracy and stability, we supported the upper portions of the corbelling with a specially made, temporary wooden framework.
"In addition, a line was secured at the midpoint and moved around the circle, like the hand of a clock, as the brick were laid around the rim. This allowed the masonry craftsmen to lay each brick of the corbelling so that it was at exactly the correct angle in relation to the center of the circle and to the other brick."
Precision of construction technique was essential to the project, according to Robert Miller, project architect of Drummey, Rosane & Anderson, Inc., Newton, Mass. "The arch was created in an effort to avoid the plainness we see in so many of today's office buildings. The excellent craftsmanship evident on the arch as well as in the rest of the building was extremely important in making this departure from the norm a success.
"We chose brick for the project because its flexibility was suited to the curves and depth of the corbelled arch, and also because of its low maintenance requirements and durability."
The basic plan of the structure, which includes 168,000 sq. ft., is as follows: the offices are at the front, the manufacturing facilities are in the central portion (first floor only), and the warehouse is in the rear segment of the building. It is anticipated that the warehouse and manufacturing areas may eventually be converted into office space. Therefore, in the rear of the building, which is now windowless, masonry craftsmen installed knock-out panels. If and when it becomes necessary, these walls can be easily and inexpensively converted to include windows.
Despite its complexity, the brickwork for the arch did not require a great deal of time. Approximately 95 percent of the masonry construction on the entire building, including the arch, was completed between May 1 and the end of August, 1983, according to John Florence, business agent for Local 35, Massachusetts, of the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen. There were approximately 15 to 20 masonry craftsmen at work on the Nippon building at the peak of activity.