Alberta Legislature Dome: Manufacturing The Terra Cotta Roof Tiles
The Alberta Legislature Dome continues to advance through the factory.
Models of dome tiles with a double radius are being routed from blank blocks of plaster on our 5-axis CNC machine, while those units requiring the detailing skills of our sculptors and craftsmen are being modeled by hand using plaster and clay (see photo below). Molds that have already been completed are being filled with terra cotta to make the new units in the production hand press department every day. Several hundred pieces have already come out of the kilns and are being laid out to check for color, dimensional tolerances and fit in their assembly by our quality control team.

Sculptor Paolo Lucente poses with his handiwork. Backups made by Scott Connor.

A rib for the Alberta Dome is being laid out on a wooden backup.

A rib for the Alberta Dome is being laid out on a wooden backup.

Terra cotta pieces on the Alberta minor dome.

A pallet of Alberta Dome pieces waiting to be placed into crates for shipping.

More Dome pieces being staged for shipping process.

More Dome pieces being staged for shipping process.

Additional staged Alberta Dome pieces.

Alberta pieces making their way through the kilns.

Terra Cotta pieces waiting for the kilns.

Alberta pieces making their way through the kilns.

Alberta models waiting to be molded.