UHPC benches and bins for Edmonton
In 2013 Szolyd started the design process with ISL Engineers and the City of Edmonton to develop a UHPC garbage bin and bench for the Quarters district.
Ductal concrete was the perfect material for the project because it provided incredible durability in extreme weather conditions. Temperatures in Edmonton vary from -30 degrees C in the winter to +30 degrees C in the summer. These extreme heat differentials are extremely hard on conventional concrete and most materials.
The design featured Ipe wood tops with embedded fasteners and tamper proof hardware. Knockouts under the overhang allowed for flush mounting of LED lighting. Mounting tracks for inverters and power supplies and wire chases were all considered in the preliminary design and built into the production molds. Levelling feet allowed each concrete bench and bin to be adjusted to the paver surface.
A total of 49 benches and 15 litter receptacles were fabricated by the Szolyd team. Two production molds were created for the bench and one for the bin. The molds were fabricated out of a combination of urethane rubber, epoximite (which is a water based alternative to fibreglass), and steel. Light grey ductal with Ti02 (titanium dioxide) was utilized to achieve the slick contemporary finish. This project is a great example of the utilization of mixed materials to create permanent street furniture with technology integration.
