Thin-Shell Concrete

Copyright © 2021 Scott D. Murdock



Ideal Cement Company Testing Building
4599 County Road 21C, Laporte, Colorado
40-39-16 N, 105-08-10 W

Structural Engineer: unknown

Architect: Fisher and Fisher of Denver

Builder: Gerald H. Phipps Inc. of Denver

Configuration: Barrel vault shells

Measurements: Shells are 3 inches thick

Purpose: Industrial facility

Year: 1959

Laboratory rooms, offices, and storage are covered by the five concrete barrel vaults.

General view 1 of the Boettcher Cement testing building showing the barrel vaults of the thin-shell concrete roof in December 2019.
General view 2 of the Boettcher Cement testing building showing the barrel vaults of the thin-shell concrete roof in December 2019.
General view 3 of the Boettcher Cement testing building showing the barrel vaults of the thin-shell concrete roof in December 2019.
General view 4 of the Boettcher Cement testing building showing the barrel vaults of the thin-shell concrete roof in December 2019.

The author visited in December 2019.

References

Fisher & Fisher - Architects, Denver. "Proposed Exploration Building, Ideal Cement Company, La Porte, Colorado," single drawing sheet, October 21, 1955, held in the Fisher and Fisher's Architectural Records 1892-1997 collection (C MSS WH932), Denver Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 15, 2020. https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll22/id/83007/rec/29.

"Ideal Cement Plans Testing Building At Fort Collins." Greeley Tribune, March 19, 1959.

"Ideal Plans New Building." Denver Post, March 18, 1959.

"Ideal Putting Concrete Roof on New Building." Fort Collins Coloradoan, July 17, 1959.

"Ideal's Explorer Group Housed in New Building." Fort Collins Coloradoan", February 19, 1960.


Updated March 28, 2021