When erosion threatened the street above Pismo Beach, Boulderscape locked down the bluff — sculpting 5,300 square feet of architectural shotcrete into a Coastal-Commission-approved Gabbro Formation finish, delivered in 5 days at 27% below traditional construction.
Record Installation Time
Savings Over Alternatives
Wall Square Footage
The City of Pismo Beach required stabilization of an eroding coastal bluff before continued slope movement threatened the roadway above. Because the project was located within a sensitive coastal environment, the retaining wall also needed to replicate the surrounding geology and satisfy the architectural requirements of the California Coastal Commission. Boulderscape's Gabbro Formation finish was selected to achieve these objectives.
Boulderscape hand sculpted the Gabbro Formation finish across the entire wall surface, incorporating natural fractures, relief, and rock textures that reflected the appearance of the surrounding coastal bluff. Gabbro accent colors were applied throughout the finish to enhance the natural character of the wall and create a seamless transition between the engineered structure and the existing coastline.
The project encompassed 5,306 square feet of wall surface consisting of an 8" thick structural shotcrete section with an average 3" thick architectural relief over a soil nail wall system using a 5,500 PSI mix design. The entire scope was completed in just 5 days, delivering a durable bluff stabilization solution that blended naturally into the surrounding coastal environment. 27% under traditional cast in place construction. See our sculpted shotcrete process or explore more shotcrete finishes.
Finished and stain an 8” thick layer of structural/architectural shotcrete
Gabbro Formation
Medium Earth Blend w/Gabbro Highlights
Soil Nail Wall
5,500 PSI
Hydration stabilizers were used to maintain concrete temperature and extend the finishing time.
