The Best Example of Doric Architecture

As of late, The Conco Companies have been busy working on several modern day wonders such as providing concrete services on the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco and the Wilshire Grand Center in downtown Los Angeles.  Both buildings are slated to become the tallest structures in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River.  This has revived our interest in many of the architectural marvels built in ancient times.

We know that the three main orders of classical Greek architecture, the Doric, the Ionic and the Corinthian influenced Roman architectural styles as well as those of the Renaissance Period.  In addition it has continued to inspire many of our modern day structures. 

As to one of the best examples of Doric order architecture (featuring heavy fluted columns with plain, saucer-shaped capitals and no base), most experts agree that it would be the Temple of Zeus.  Built in the ancient city of Olympia, it was located in the Altis sanctuary and constructed between 472 and 456 BC.  The purpose of the temple was to house one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the great statue of Zeus. 

The architect on the project was Libon of Elis, who designed the Temple with an east-west orientation and in a “peripteral hexastyle with thirteen columns along the sides.”  Each column, constructed from local shell-limestone and covered in white stucco, was more than 32 ft. high and had a base almost 7.5 ft. in diameter.  The Temple’s roof tiles, pedimental sculptures and lion’s head water spouts were made of marble.  

The interior chamber of the Temple (the cella) was separated into three naves by two double rows of seven columns.  The statue of Zeus sat at the far end of the cella and was believed to be approximately 40 ft. tall.  What we know about the statue is that Zeus was holding a scepter in his left hand and a winged Victory in his right. 

Another architectural detail was in the east gable that had an inscribed block, which supported a gold shield in commemoration of the Spartan’s victory at Tanagra. The Temple of Zeus was badly damaged by fire in 436 AD and completely destroyed by a series of earthquakes in 551 and 552 AD.   

The Conco Companies are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  While we tackle projects both big and small, our experience includes providing the complete concrete package for the Levi’s Stadium along with other notable projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source: olympia-greece.org/templezeus.html    

Construction Industry Experiencing Shortage of Skilled Labor

An article from Tradesmen International reports on a recent survey from the Associated General Contractors of America that close to 80 percent of construction businesses are having problems finding skilled labor.  The survey indicates the labor shortage was first noticed around 2011 and is “now in full bloom, with repercussions being felt throughout the nation.”  In fact a spokesperson for the NAHB notes that the building industry could be growing faster if the labor shortage was not an issue. 

Much of the problem stems from that fact that during the last recession, construction and manufacturing were two of the hardest hit industries.  According to the publication, Finance and Commerce, “The U.S. lost about 2.1 million construction jobs from December 2007 when the recession began through January 2011, when industry employment hit its lowest level since 1996.” 

This resulted in many workers leaving the industry and going back to school or retraining for jobs in the business or service sectors.  Furthermore, without the prospects of jobs, the number of young people enrolling in vocational and technical programs declined.  Another problem is that our skilled construction workers are growing older.  In fact a 2012 report from EMSI states 53% of skilled-trade workers in the U.S. were 45 years or older. 

However there is some good news for the industry.  Many companies are making an effort to recruit young workers and get the word out about the benefits of well-paying jobs in construction.  Also to train more skilled workers, states are expanding community college and vocational training programs to help meet the demand. The celebrity, Mike Rowe, is even getting into the act by leading a campaign to promote skilled labor careers and alternative education programs.

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Sources: tradesmeninternational.com/news/the-construction-labor-shortage-where-did-all-the-skilled-labor-go/

finance-commerce.com/2013/08/labor-shortages-slow-us-home-rebound/#ixzz2tgl8ed7w

Give Your Project the Best Start

One of the most important things you can do to ensure your project’s success is to provide it with a great start.  When you bring in an experienced commercial concrete contractor early-on, they are able to oversee your project from start to finish and resolve problems before they ever become an issue. 

A seasoned concrete contractor provides your project the benefit of the experience they have gained through the construction of many diverse structures.  Their large portfolio gives the contractor an innate understanding of the unique advantages and disadvantages of a process.  Also when they are there from the start, they can work with engineers and owners to deal with constructability issues before any actual construction gets underway.

It may be advantageous for you to work with a commercial concrete contractor that has the capability to deliver multiple concrete services.  By hiring a company with the ability to jointly manage rebar and concrete, it allows decisions to be based on the best end results.  The contractor is able to anticipate and quickly respond to any problems with formwork, shotcrete or rebar by shuffling crews to accommodate scheduling. 

Another money saving idea is to check with the company to see if they offer Design/Build, turnkey, or G.C. services.  Generally your project can be less costly to build if you eliminate the need for an architect or other contractors.  Furthermore, by reducing the layers of communication required when working with other professionals, it can produce a better outcome as all services are committed, coordinated and scheduled accordingly to achieve the best results.

The Conco Companies have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience.  Conco’s concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development along with public works projects and highways.  Our four regional offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. 

Classical Greek Architecture

As leading commercial concrete contractors, The Conco Companies have been honored to be involved in many distinguished construction projects over the last several decades.  As many of these projects represent exciting accomplishments in our today’s world, it got us thinking about architectural wonders from ancient times.  Our post is an acknowledgement of the enduring influence of Greek architecture. 

The terms we use to describe the five orders of classical architecture, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite, were given to us by the Romans.  The Ancient History Encyclopedia defines an order as, “a combination of a certain style of column with or without a base and an entablature (what the column supports: the architrave, frieze, and cornice).”   

The Greek’s architectural style embraced “simplicity, proportion, perspective and harmony” and inspired the building style of the Roman Empire.  Together this laid the foundation for the classical architectural orders that dominated the Renaissance period right up to today.   

Along with the Parthenon, which we wrote about in an earlier post, other significant ancient Greek temples that exemplified Doric and Ionic order include the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, completed c. 460 BC; and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which was one of the wonders of the ancient world completed c. 430 BC.  The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, built between 444-440 BC, is an example of the Greeks’ desire to not only build structures that were beautiful on the inside as well as close-up but also to construct temples that would be admired from a distance. 

On the Architecture of the Capitol website, they list a few examples of modern day buildings in Washington, DC that reflect the classic Greek orders.  These include the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court Building and the exterior of the Longworth House Office Building.  The old Senate Chamber located in the U.S. Capitol “is a two-story room modeled after the amphitheaters of antiquity.”  The eight Ionic columns that support the Chamber’s gallery on the east wall are inspired by the columns of the Erechtheion in Athens.

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. and got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. Our offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.

Sources: ancient.eu/Greek_Architecture/, aoc.gov/capitol-hill/architecture-columns/ionic-columns

The Parthenon Restoration Project

At The Conco Companies, we have extensive experience as commercial concrete contractors and have been fortunate to be involved in many noteworthy structures built over the last several decades.  As some of our projects have been pretty amazing achievements even for modern times, we got thinking about some of the world’s remarkable projects built many centuries in the past.  One such project is the Parthenon, which is a part of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. 

Built between 447 - 438 BC, although some of the decorative features were not completed until 432 BC, the Parthenon has been under renovations for more than 30 years.  In fact summer 2016 will be the first time since 1983 that tourists will be able to see the temple without scaffolding. 

The decades-long $90 million repair and restoration project is expected to be fully completed in 2020.  So why is it taking so long to complete the project when the original structure was built over a period of only nine years?  Led by the Greek architect, Manolis Korres, he states that the project is like “trying to assemble a 100,000-ton, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with 70,000 individual pieces.”   Also the team has struggled to find the proper balance between reassembling the temple and leaving it as a majestic ruin.

One of the difficulties of the project has been to undo mistakes made in the past such as during an earlier restoration in the late 1800’s to the mid-1900’s that incorrectly rebuilt parts of the structure.  Korres’ project has included taking apart and repairing almost every piece of the Parthenon.  Another challenge has been to locate original pieces, some of which were spread around the Acropolis site while others had been removed and were in other parts of the world.  For pieces the team could not locate, they had to be recreated.   

Other problems in the large undertaking include determining where each piece goes, finding a source of marble to match the blocks and then shaping new pieces, and employing age-old techniques to finish the marble surface.  Furthermore, since the column drums had been incorrectly replaced during the earlier restoration process, today’s team had to work out a system for realigning and correctly placing the drums.  The end product will be a testament to the survival of the two and a half thousand year-old ruin.     

The Conco Companies have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience.  Conco’s concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development along with public works projects and highways.  Our four regional offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. 

Source: pbs.org/wgbh/nova/parthenon/rest-nf.html