The National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association honors Southern Tile & Terrazzo for exemplary achievement at the new medical college.

HOUSTON, USA, May 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- When the University of Houston opened enrollment in the Fertitta Family College of Medicine, the first new medical school in the city in nearly 50 years, it received an overwhelming response: over 1,700 candidates for 30 openings. The medical school inaugurated its first teaching facility—the first LEED Gold-certified building on the university campus—in 2022. This certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, signifies that the building is a high-performance, sustainable structure designed to reduce environmental impact and operating costs. The $80 million, 130,000-square-foot facility is now nationally recognized for its handcrafted terrazzo floor.

The National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association presented Southern Tile & Terrazzo of Houston with a 2024 Honor Award for the project, recognizing skilled craftsmanship, artistry, and dedication to excellence. Based on the installation's craftsmanship, design, and scope, the award was presented on April 17 in Tucson at the association’s annual convention.

Abundant natural light streams through glass facades at the entrance of the four-story training facility, illuminating a lustrous monochromatic terrazzo application. Epoxy terrazzo’s seamless finish provides durable longevity and ease of maintenance for a sterile interior environment.

The elegant, understated floor is accented with heavy-top aluminum patterning. The installation enlivens the architecture and reinforces the streamlined interior design with serene warmth, reported the NTMA's judges. A massive cantilevered staircase in precast terrazzo spans the lobby to the third floor, a captivating focal point.

Terrazzo extends into the elevator cabs and through several hallways. A beautifully executed terrazzo plinth’s treads and risers, extending walls, and caps were all poured in place, as was the floor. The 14,150-square-foot installation in the new Fertitta Family College of Medicine building joins terrazzo in numerous other campus buildings.

Page Southerland Page Architects of Houston oversaw the project. Vaughan Construction of Houston provided general contracting.

Southern Tile & Terrazzo was incorporated and joined the NTMA in 1960. It is a third-generation business owned and operated by the Maraldo family.

The NTMA's annual Honor Award program recognizes outstanding terrazzo projects its members submit. The program promotes member contractors as the sole qualified resource for terrazzo installations that meet industry standards. Terrazzo veterans and design professionals evaluate the entries.

The NTMA is a full-service nonprofit trade association headquartered in Fredericksburg, Texas. Founded in 1923, the NTMA establishes national standards for terrazzo systems for floor and vertical applications. Its mission is to promote quality craftsmanship and creativity in terrazzo while supporting its 152 members in their trade and service to the construction industry.

The NTMA provides free services to architects, interior designers, artists, general contractors, maintenance professionals, and property owners. From helping the design community write specifications to providing technical assistance, the NTMA's goal is to help ensure quality terrazzo installations.

Terrazzo is a composite material. Developed in 15th-century Italy, terrazzo descended from the mosaic artistry of Ancient Rome. It evolved as a sustainable building system as resourceful Venetian marble workers discovered a creative way to reuse discarded stone chips. Today, terrazzo artisans still pour terrazzo by hand on the construction site, with options for precast and waterjet-cut elements. Stone, recycled glass, or other aggregates, often sourced locally, are embedded in a cement or epoxy base and the surface is then polished to reveal the chips. Terrazzo combines design flexibility with ease of maintenance and durability to last the life of the building.

Michael Maraldo
Southern Tile & Terrazzo
+1 713-649-2434
mmaraldo@southerntileterrazzo.com
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association 2024 Honor Award for Southern Tile & Terrazzo: UH School of Medicine

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.