Promotion: pavers by American brick manufacturer The Belden Brick Company define the urban landscape of historic downtown Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA, recently revamped by Iowa-based studio Snyder & Associates.
The Cedar Falls Downtown Streetscape and Reconstruction Project, which encompassed upgrades across 11 city blocks, incorporated clay-based pavers in various colours and sizes from Belden Brick’s City Line Series and ADA-compliant paver collections.
Belden clay pavers were used to improve the Cedar Falls downtown streetscape
The redevelopment was undertaken by the City of Cedar Falls in collaboration with Community Main Street and Snyder & Associates.
It involved upgrading more than 8,000 square metres of public space to improve the look and walkability of the area, in addition to repairs to the infrastructure.
Snyder & Associates’ design utilised the products for visual wayfinding and to define gathering spaces throughout Iowa’s historic district.
According to Belden Brick, the City Line Series and ADA pavers were selected to help the studio “reflect the area’s historical character while ensuring durability and minimising long-term maintenance”.
The project used City Line Series and ADA pavers to update more than 8,000 square metres of sidewalks and public spaces
“Belden Clay Pavers provide a surface with long-lasting skid resistance,” explained Belden Brick’s paving products manager, Jim Piteo.
“Our fired-clay construction ensures superior durability compared to other paving materials, particularly in Midwest climates where freeze-thaw cycles and ice removal chemicals can damage conventional surfaces.”
Peter Melendy Park saw 418 square metres of concrete sidewalks replaced with the brand’s pavers
Among the colours of pavers used were the brand’s Carbon Black, Regimental Full Range, Sienna Blend and Wheatfield, which were chosen to complement the architectural fabric of the district.
“The richer tones of the Sienna Blend and Carbon Black pulled texture and colours from the surrounding historic buildings to the surface in a very contemporary way,” said Piteo.
“Change of colour is often used to define traffic flow as well as gathering spaces and points of interest,” he continued. “The scale of the installation and seamless integration of all elements pushed colour boundaries, making this project especially impressive.”
Snyder & Associates chose the pavers for their high compressive strength and low absorption
According to Belden Brick, the project “presented unique technical challenges” due to both its scale and the need for dimensional consistency across multiple colours and patterns.
“When making products like clay paver bricks, properties of the raw material and firing curves can cause dimensional differences,” said Piteo.
“Belden Brick exercises stringent quality control over raw material from our mines to our manufacturing, ensuring a dimensionally precise product with consistent through-body colours that have remained consistent,” he continued.
“Designers can confidently plan for the future with multiple Belden clay paver colours and bond patterns that support long-term design continuity.”
Highlights of the project include the reconstruction of Peter Melendy Park at the district’s northern end, where 418 square metres of concrete sidewalks were replaced with the brand’s pavers.
Elsewhere, the pavers have been used to revamp the River Place Plaza, connecting the downtown area and the River Place neighbourhood to the riverfront and nearby businesses.
The colours of the pavers aim to emulate the area’s historic buildings
While enabling Snyder & Associates to introduce visual wayfinding and gathering spaces throughout the district, the pavers were also chosen for properties including their high compressive strength and low absorption, which the manufacturer said makes “them resistant to staining from motor oil, food and other common contaminants in public spaces”.
The pavers are also compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design (ADA).
Since its completion, the Cedar Falls Downtown Streetscape and Reconstruction Project has received awards, including the 2024 Silver Brick in Architecture Award for the paving and landscaping category, and the Special Projects Grand Prize from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Iowa.
For more information about Belden Brick’s City Line Series and ADA Pavers, visit the company’s website.
The photography is by Miller+Miller Architectural Photography.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for The Belden Brick Company as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
The post Belden clay pavers add character to Cedar Falls’ revamped downtown district appeared first on Dezeen.