KPF’s Pacific Gate Condominiums Featured in Dezeen Magazine

As recently featured in Dezeen, KPF’s Pacific Gate Condominiums is a luxury residential skyscraper in San Diego, California. The building has been creating buzz since it is a spectacle in its size and grandeur. Boston Valley Terra Cotta had the pleasure of working alongside KPF to manufacture a terra cotta wall depicting a magnificent, golden sunset.

During the manufacturing, the tiles were created using our RAM Press forming method, utilizing a hydraulic press and mold to create many of the same pieces. Each tile was cut-in while the clay was still in the wet state, creating the reveal for the gold luster glaze to be laid into and fired. A series of cardboard templates were created from an electronic model and then cut on our laser cutter. Each template was numbered and referenced to the individual tiles. The sculptors were then able to follow the lines on the templates to ensure the design intent and accuracy of the golden sunburst design. The wall features both a sand-colored glaze and a gold luster, and it is most prominent to tenants as they enter and exit the building – reminding them of the beauty of the natural world and their proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

TITLE: KPF adds Pacific Gate residential skyscraper to San Diego skyline
SOURCE: Dezeen
DATE: June 28th, 2018
BY: Dan Howarth
Read the original article online Dezeen

Excerpt from the article: “Global architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox has completed a high-rise condo building on the San Diego waterfront, with a curved glass form, that stands out from the city’s boxy towers. Pacific Gate by Bosa stands 41 storeys tall at the junction of Broadway and Pacific – the main access into the downtown area from the coastal highway.  With plans to create a “gateway” into the city, developer Bosa aimed to capitalise on the revitalisation of the surrounding waterfront and continuing work in the area. “

The gold glazed terra cotta wall at the Pacific Gate Condominiums in San Diego, California.

Detail of the terra cotta wall, notice how the golden band is imprinted with many small circles. This technique separates the two elements of the wall with varying textural differences.

Read more about the Pacific Gate Condominiums in our other blog posts here