Mural of Chicago skyline set with Laticrete products

Harri Aalto, co-owner and creative director of Creative Edge Master Shop, an Iowa-based waterjet design and fabrication facility, was approached before Coverings 2007 to create a stone mural depicting the impressive skyline of Chicago. Once a go-ahead from the Chicago Convention and Tourism Board was given, a plan was set for the 15- x 13-foot waterjet-cut piece to be mounted on a wall within McCormick Place and unveiled during the exhibition.

Aalto's waterjet-cut creation, which is now located near the juncture of the South Building and McCormick Square, consists of about 1,600 pieces — made from a variety of marble, granite, porcelain, Italian glass and solid metals. Aalto used pieces of granite to portray the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building — two monumental, jet-black buildings in Chicago's skyline. Additionally, luxurious gold tiles from Steuler-Fliesen, a German manufacturer of ceramic tile, strategically highlight certain areas of the mural and brighten the windows of selected buildings.

Because of the size and weight of the mural, much consideration was given to the type of installation products that would be used. In the end, Aalto went with a selection of products from Laticrete International in Bethany, CT.

"I was very concerned about the installation process," said Aalto. "With the amount of people passing the mural, which was to be made up of quite a bit of stone and other materials, including metal, glass and actual gold tiles, I had to be confident that the products we would be using to affix the mural's heavy pieces to the wall were [of high standards]."

Aalto explained that he has worked for years with various Laticrete products, and he has always been pleased not only with the overall performance of the materials, but also with how well they work together as a system. "I did not know, however, if there was an adhesive strong enough to hold up the large, different-sized panels of stone that made up our 1,500-pound piece of artwork," he said.

According to the artist, he was advised that Laticrete® 255 MultiMax™, a lightweight thinset mortar reinforced with Kevlar®, would be best suited for the delicate placement of the large stone panels. "So, we decided to use it," he said. "We quickly found out that it held this intricate mural to the wall with such strength, that I had no worries whatsoever about the various pieces shifting and ultimately changing the design."

In the past, when Aalto would create a large stone mural for vertical surfaces, he had to drill holes and use structural pins to hold the creation in place, he explained. "Now, the process is significantly faster than the 'hook-and-anihor' mechanical method," he said. "We were very pleased with the outcome."

"The mural combines a certain amount of realism and imaginative interpretations," continued Aalto. "It captures the look and feeling of Chicago, the 'stone' city. People will be able to recognize at least 20 buildings that are made out of granite and marble, just like the original structure of the buildings depicted."

Because tight grout joints were essential to capture the minute details of the mural, and different colors were needed to keep the flowing design concept intact, Aalto used Laticrete® SpectraLOCK™ PRO Grout with the SpectraLOCK Dazzle component to complete the installation. SpectraLOCK is an epoxy grout with optimal color uniformity and stain resistance, and with the SpectraLOCK Dazzle component, 40 different colors were available to choose from, allowing Creative Edge to add a shimmering, metallic component to the mural.

"I've worked with these materials in the past and like them because they combine dependable performance along with nice aesthetics," said Aalto.

The unveiling of the stone mural depicting the skyline of Chicago was one of the major events of Coverings 2007- Members of the local, national and international press were on hand to get the first glimpse of Aalto's masterpiece, which took place in the afternoon during the first day of the expo. Even the mayor of Chicago, His Honor Richard M. Daly, came by to see this unique addition to Chicago's showplace.