At the Monserate substation, Boulderscape kept utility infrastructure from intruding on the neighborhood — sculpting 3,400 square feet of architectural shotcrete into a Monserate Sandstone finish, delivered in 3 days at 36% below traditional construction.
Record Installation Time
Savings Over Alternatives
Wall Square Footage
A retaining wall was constructed to screen the Monserate electrical substation while minimizing its visual impact on the surrounding residential neighborhood. The owner wanted the wall to blend naturally with the local landscape and avoid the appearance of a typical utility enclosure. Boulderscape's Monserate Sandstone finish was selected to create a natural rock appearance that complemented the surrounding environment.
Boulderscape hand sculpted the Monserate Sandstone finish across the entire wall surface, incorporating natural rock textures, relief, and weathering patterns inspired by the local geology. A complementary earth tone stain was applied to create realistic color variation and allow the retaining wall to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.
The project encompassed 3,400 square feet of wall surface consisting of a 10" thick structural shotcrete section with an average 3" thick architectural relief over a soil nail wall system using a 4,500 PSI mix design. The entire scope was completed in just 3 days, delivering a durable retaining wall solution that screened the utility facility while preserving the character of the surrounding neighborhood. 36% under traditional cast in place construction. See our sculpted shotcrete process or explore more shotcrete finishes.
Installed a 10” thick structural shotcrete and a 1”- 4” thick architectural shotcrete.
Monserate Sandstone
Medium Earth Blend
10"
Soil Nail Wall
4,500 PSI
Hydration stabilizers were used to maintain concrete temperature and extend the finishing time.
