Residential, Commercial Projects Win Awards
Ambler Square Park
Three projects that used Pine Hall Brick clay pavers won awards at the annual Hardscape North America trade show
Projects that used Pine Hall Brick pavers took top honors in three categories in the recent Hardscape North America Awards competition.
The winning projects that used Pine Hall Brick clay pavers were in the categories for both residential and permeable construction, along with the vintage category, which honors projects that were built years ago.
The winner in the residential category was for a private residence in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It honored contractor Heritage Stone & Marble, designer Charles E. Hess Jr., and design firm Hess Landscape Architects of Lansdale, Penn.
The permeable award went to Ambler Square Park, an installation at a public park in Ambler, Pennsylvania. It honored contractor GoreCon Inc. and designer Christopher Green, RLA, LEED AP, and design firm Gilmore and Associates of Doylestown, Penn.
The vintage installation award went to Washington Square Mall in Cape May, New Jersey. It honored contractor Think Pavers and designer Remington & Vernick, Engineers, of Cherry Hill, NJ.
Contest grows year over year
Each year, the HNA Awards recognize the best residential and commercial hardscape projects including walkways, patios, pool decks, outdoor living spaces and kitchens, and driveways as well as commercial plazas and streets. Hardscape crews received recognition from industry experts for excellence in project design, quality, compatibility, and construction.
The number of entries received from across North America continues to grow. In 2022, a record 204 projects were submitted across 18 hardscape categories, including concrete paver, clay brick, segmental retaining walls, porcelain, natural stone, vintage installation, outdoor living features, and a combination of hardscape products.
“The HNA Awards grow year-over-year and honorees continue to demonstrate dedication to their craft," says Bob Thomas, ICPI-NCMA President, and CEO. "Projects recognized display creativity, attention to detail and design, and collaboration between contractors, designers, and producers to install sustainable and resilient projects.”
Doug Rose, paver sales manager of Pine Hall Brick Company, congratulated the designers and installers, who he said used a combination of creativity in design, and quality in workmanship in construction, to win the awards.
“The real winners are the homeowners in Philadelphia, the visitors to the park in Ambler Township, and the tourists who visit Cape May each summer,” Rose says. “They are the ones who will use and enjoy these facilities and we at Pine Hall Brick Company were glad to have played a role in these projects.”
Haverford, Penn. Private Residence
This installation used Rumbled Full Range clay pavers from Pine Hall Brick Company in a dramatic installation around a swimming pool at a private residence in Philadelphia’s Main Line, one of the most affluent suburbs in the U.S.
Aesthetically, the clay pavers provide a warmth in color and texture; effectively providing a foreground against which a well-balanced vertical plane can be seen. Beginning with the white concrete at the pool’s edge and looking upward, the lawn and green plantings, the handset stonework, and stucco framed with white vertical beams all provide visual interest and a subliminal sense of order, which adds to a feeling of peace and better allows for relaxation.
Ambler Square Park
Ambler Square Park, a project in Ambler, Pennsylvania, is a multiple-award winner. In addition to this year’s Hardscape North America award, it took home a Silver Award in the 2021 Brick Industry Association’s annual Brick in Architecture competition.
The project made use of Pine Hall Brick Company’s StormPave permeable pavers in Full Range, Dark Accent, and Grey. The project was intended to slow water runoff and promote innovative and sustainable stormwater solutions in a public park setting.
Rainwater falls on the pavers, goes around gaps in between them, and then into a series of layered aggregates underneath. Some penetrates into the ground below, and some is collected and re-directed into rain gardens on the surface.
Washington Square Mall
Washington Square Mall is a pedestrian mall that serves as a centerpiece for historic Cape May, New Jersey, one of the first beach resorts in the United States.
The project began in July 2005 and ended in June 2008. In all, it encompasses three city blocks, 900 feet long and 35 feet wide.
The pavement itself was a blend of Rumbled Main Street, Rumbled Red, Rumbled Red Heavy Duty, and Red ADA pavers. A flush bluestone curb was used as a demarcation line for outdoor dining spaces and as a visual reference to the site’s former use as a street.
The clay pavers give the Mall a more high-end look and their color will never fade. Cape May is a seashore town, so the area is exposed to sun, sand, and salt in the air. The city wanted something sturdy with a high-end finish that would hold up to both the elements and high-volume pedestrian traffic. Clay pavers, said the engineering firm, cost more than concrete ones, but the city determined it was worth the higher cost for a long-term investment.