Case Study: United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Incorporating Design Standards in Paving Solutions for Outdoor Spaces

Case Study: United States Drug Enforcement Administration

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has offices around the country, but the location in Arlington, VA, near the nation’s capital, features the DEA’s museum and Visitors Center.

The museum is open to the public and gives visitors a learning environment where they can “discover the role and impact of federal drug law enforcement.”

Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img1
Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img1

Incorporating Design Standards in Paving Solutions for Outdoor Spaces

Case Study: United States Drug Enforcement Administration

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has offices around the country, but the location in Arlington, VA, near the nation’s capital, features the DEA’s museum and Visitors Center.

The museum is open to the public and gives visitors a learning environment where they can “discover the role and impact of federal drug law enforcement.”

Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img2

Challenges With Strict Design Standards

The designer for the DEA’s project needed to fulfill strict design requirements.

The client wanted to incorporate a very specific color palette to enhance the appeal of the DEA Museum and outdoor space surrounding the building. The design featured a pattern requiring multiple paver lengths, so it was important that each paver’s color matched the others exactly.

Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img2

Challenges With Strict Design Standards

The designer for the DEA’s project needed to fulfill strict design requirements.

The client wanted to incorporate a very specific color palette to enhance the appeal of the DEA Museum and outdoor space surrounding the building. The design featured a pattern requiring multiple paver lengths, so it was important that each paver’s color matched the others exactly.

Dynamic Style and Durable Paving Solutions

The designer for the project wanted to incorporate the client’s need for customization and also needed to find a solution for a highly-visible, heavy-traffic space.

The Linea paver from Techo-Bloc was selected, a three-piece plank stone paving option suitable for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. By opting for this multi-piece solution, the appearance of the custom production run of the Greyed Nickel color would be consistent across all sizes in the laying pattern that would span over 30,000 square feet.   

“Helping the architect’s vision be brought to life by suggesting a solution that would mitigate any color-matching issues is really what our specifier support team strove to do with this consultation,” explained Samuel Terrivel, Specification Sales Manager for Techo-Bloc.

In addition to its three lengths, the Linea paving stone is also available in both a 4” and 6” width, providing tremendous versatility. The designer used the 4” units in a custom Greyed Nickel, as well as the Onyx Black color, for this project to enhance the space with a high-contrast, dynamic style. They also left paver spaces open to be filled with grass, adding a pop of green to the black and grey design.

Techo-Bloc’s paving stones are able to stand up to harsh climates and high-traffic (and come with an industry-leading warranty in both residential and commercial applications). The implementation of a fineness modulus with regards to the aggregate selection for each concrete blend, combined with some of the industry’s most sophisticated manufacturing technology, results in unmatched compressive resistance and absorption rates.

Denser concrete with fewer pores means a more refined appearance over a longer period of time. The durability of the paving stones ensured the design could accommodate the local climate and weather conditions, including the use de-icing salt during colder months and high-pressure washing during warmer months.

Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img3
Techo bloc case study commercial paver grey black drug enforcement administration img3

Dynamic Style and Durable Paving Solutions

The designer for the project wanted to incorporate the client’s need for customization and also needed to find a solution for a highly-visible, heavy-traffic space.

The Linea paver from Techo-Bloc was selected, a three-piece plank stone paving option suitable for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. By opting for this multi-piece solution, the appearance of the custom production run of the Greyed Nickel color would be consistent across all sizes in the laying pattern that would span over 30,000 square feet.   

“Helping the architect’s vision be brought to life by suggesting a solution that would mitigate any color-matching issues is really what our specifier support team strove to do with this consultation,” explained Samuel Terrivel, Specification Sales Manager for Techo-Bloc.

In addition to its three lengths, the Linea paving stone is also available in both a 4” and 6” width, providing tremendous versatility. The designer used the 4” units in a custom Greyed Nickel, as well as the Onyx Black color, for this project to enhance the space with a high-contrast, dynamic style. They also left paver spaces open to be filled with grass, adding a pop of green to the black and grey design.

Techo-Bloc’s paving stones are able to stand up to harsh climates and high-traffic (and come with an industry-leading warranty in both residential and commercial applications). The implementation of a fineness modulus with regards to the aggregate selection for each concrete blend, combined with some of the industry’s most sophisticated manufacturing technology, results in unmatched compressive resistance and absorption rates.

Denser concrete with fewer pores means a more refined appearance over a longer period of time. The durability of the paving stones ensured the design could accommodate the local climate and weather conditions, including the use de-icing salt during colder months and high-pressure washing during warmer months.

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