The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) – a non-profit international organization that serves to expand and improve the use of Tilt-Up as the preferred construction method -- has announced the release of the first edition of The Architecture of Tilt-Up.

The manual is the second part of a trilogy of resources on the design and construction of site cast Tilt-Up construction. TCA developed the content for The Architecture of Tilt-Up through the guidance of leading design professionals with vast experience in the building method, as well as feedback received during recent design charettes hosted by the Association. The manual augments the popular Tilt-Up Construction and Engineering Manual, currently in its sixth edition. According to Jim Baty, technical director of TCA, The Architecture of Tilt-Up is the first known publication specifically written to provide design ideas for the growing building method.

“The intent of this manual is to expand the understanding of both the design and construction flexibility that Tilt-Up offers,” said Baty. “Although Tilt-Up increased 23 percent last year and its growth outpaces the growth of the general construction market, the concept is still underutilized in many building sectors or is often misunderstood as only suitable for an industrial construction system. The Architecture of Tilt-Up serves to dispel these myths and specifically focuses on the trends in Tilt-Up experienced through the last decade, especially the broad spectrum of building types and applications. Designers and owners will find an incredible palette of opportunities from which to choose in the manual, enabling them to address a higher level of detail and creativity in their Tilt-Up designs.”

The Architecture of Tilt-Up consists of more than 130 pages of full color, detailed photography and corresponding information, starting the reader from the initial concept of selecting Tilt-Up through an immense variety of building types, finish options and design features. A general overview of the construction process is provided, as well as information to help designers capitalize on the economy and efficiency the construction medium offers while also serving as a solution for complex design vernaculars. The manual concludes with appendices that provide guidelines specifications, common detailing solutions and theories, as well as a directory of the most current product suppliers.

R. Glen Stephens, AIA, President of Stephens Architectural Associates and a past president of the TCA Board of Directors, said his firm first began including Tilt-Up concrete construction in their practice 25 years ago.

“In those days, we only saw Tilt-Up as a system for warehousing and manufacturing buildings,” said Stephens. “Since that time, we have seen Tilt-Up evolve beyond the simple box, way beyond the box, as clearly illustrated in the new Architecture of Tilt-Up manual. Today, as we approach a new project, we don’t ask ‘if it could be Tilt-Up,’ rather, ‘why wouldn’t it be Tilt-Up.’ The images and information contained in the new TCA publication will allow clients and customers to experience the amazing range of the Tilt-Up architecture worldwide.”

Alan Wilson AIA, Vice President of The Haskell Company and a member of the TCA Board of Directors stated that the new manual is a tremendous asset for both experienced and novice tilt-up designers, providing insight into the great variety of sophisticated design solutions now capable of being achieved with Tilt-Up concrete.

“The manual illustrates both the design possibilities and emerging potential of this construction technique while simultaneously providing practical information such as details and rules of thumb in design,” said Wilson. “A great reference tool for the design team and owners alike, The Architecture of Tilt-Up will help to continue to evolve the industry through greater understanding of the potential of Tilt-Up concrete, thus unleashing the creativity of designers in increasingly clever and sophisticated future projects.”

128 pages, paperback, Tilt-Up Concrete Association (May 2005)