The Making of the "Icons of San Diego" LithoMosaic

At the entrance to the new 8-story LEED Silver Certified corporate headquarters of the North Island Credit Union is a dynamic LithoMosaic depicting the Icons of San Diego.  It features integrated and masterful glass and porcelain mosaics of the Pacific Ocean, palm trees, hot air balloons, sea cliffs, Coronado Bay Bridge, Santa Fe rail station, Balboa Tower and the Hotel Del Coronado.  
 
Designed and created by artist Wick Alexander, with extensive input from the client and the project architect, the 20’ diameter medallion was commissioned, designed, created and installed in 60 days, with the on site installation work completed in only three days.  This entire award-winning effort was spearheaded, managed and installed by TB Penick & Sons, the San Diego Licensee of the Lithocrete family of Innovative Concrete Systems.  

Mosaic tiles from Cuernavaca, Mexico, Italy and other locations around the world were placed into the freshly poured concrete to create the in-ground sculpture.

The plaza also features Lithocrete flatwork in an intricate saw-cut pattern seeded with light green aggregate of various sizes that resemble breaking surf. The aggregates are utilized on the architectural walls and carried through the lobbies and elevators in the HD Lithocrete floor. The 3,000 square foot main lobby has a complex and precise layout of terrazzo strips in a circular pattern that mimic the exterior saw-cuts. Each floor also features polished concrete counter tops in the restrooms and the main cafeteria.

Check out the “Icons of SD”- Conception to Completion gallery page for the photos of the process.