To save a clifftop apartment complex in Pacifica, Boulderscape built a seawall that vanishes into the dunes — sculpting 18,000 square feet of architectural shotcrete into a Coastal Dune Formation finish, delivered in 9 days at 39% below traditional construction.
Record Installation Time
Savings Over Alternatives
Wall Square Footage
A large seawall was required to stabilize the coastal bluff supporting an apartment complex along the Pacifica shoreline. Because the project was located within a sensitive coastal environment, the California Coastal Commission required the finished wall to blend naturally with the surrounding sand dunes and coastal landforms. Boulderscape developed several architectural concepts for review, and the Commission selected the Coastal Dune Formation finish for the project.
Boulderscape hand sculpted the Coastal Dune Formation finish across the entire wall surface, replicating the flowing contours and textures of the adjacent dune formations. The architectural finish was carefully designed to minimize the visual impact of the seawall and allow it to integrate naturally into the surrounding coastline while providing long term bluff protection.
The project encompassed 17,850 square feet of wall surface consisting of a 12" thick structural shotcrete section with an average 3" thick architectural relief over a tie back wall system using a 5,000 PSI mix design. The entire scope was completed in just 9 days, delivering a durable coastal stabilization solution that blended seamlessly into the surrounding environment. 39% under traditional cast in place construction. See our sculpted shotcrete process or explore more shotcrete finishes.
Finished and stain a 12” thick layer of structural/architectural shotcrete
Coastal Dune Formation
Light Earth Blend
12"
Tie Back Wall
5,000 PSI
Hydration stabilizers were used to maintain concrete temperature and extend the finishing time. Corrosion inhibitors were used to protect the steel. Integral color was used to preserve the color after heavy wave action.
