Brick

...if you think of Brick, for instance, and you say to Brick,

"What do you want Brick?"

And Brick says to you

"I like an Arch."

And if you say to the Brick

"Look, arches are expensive, and I can use a lentil over you.

What do you think of that?"

"Brick?"

Brick says:

"...I like an Arch"

Although the brick wants to be an arch, the semi circular form denotes an era.  Here the square dark brick (window detail) takes on a modern sharp rectangular shape.

W8x35 steel beams span over every window and door opening.

Progress is therapy

Sticks and Stones

The portion of missing dirt (between the sidewalk shoring and the concrete foundation) was finally back filled (with clean dirt).  Here, a tampering device is used the compact the soil every 18" as its dumped.  The reason for compacting is to minimize any soil erosion (over time) below the sidewalk (new sidewalks will eventually be poured).  Minimal erosion = minimal cavities = minimal sidewalk cracks

The entry level joists (3 x 10 every 12" O.C) were installed and a layer of concrete bricks served as  the fire protection and securing them in place

Now on to the exterior walls

Garage Slab

4,021 lbs., is the average weight of a car according to an archived NY Times article.  This 8" reinforced concrete slab (with #8 rebar and a W10x54 steel beam) with interior dimensions 10' x 18' (approx) can support about 12 times that weight (based on 300 lbs. per sq ft).

An aerial view (or at least from our roof) shows the finished product.

Walls Don't Rise Without Effort

After a much anticipated day, we finally poured the perimeter foundation walls.

While the weather was ideal (68-75 degrees and uninterrupted sun), the trucks were delayed at their respective plants and arrived almost an hour late.

But as soon as they arrived, the crew and boom pump truck were ready to greet them.

The concrete was slowly poured, in intervals of 4' (in height) to avoid two familiar industry disasters:

1- Segregating the course and fine aggregates,

2- Blowing out the form work when pouring a concentrated load in a small area

The top surface of the foundation wall is level to receive the first layer of block and brick.  Also, the top surface has reinforcement bars so that the concrete blocks can tie into the concrete foundation wall.

More rebar shown on top of the outer perimeter foundation wall

Placement of rebar

While they pour, I render

So as the foundation contractor is pouring concrete into the foundation wall forms this morning and afternoon, I am only able to photograph (images coming later today) from the roof, so I am working on my rendering, photoshop and collage skills.
Here is a rendering if you looked into the house.
I placed people in the rendering so that you can see the scale (or the enormous heights of the living room).