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Case Study Detail

Retrofit Harvard’s Semitic Museum with Decorative, Longer-Lasting Floors

The Harvard Semitic Museum houses ancient Near Eastern exhibitions and explores the rich history of cultures connected by the family of Semitic languages. The museum remains dedicated to the use of their collections for the teaching, research, and publication of Near Eastern archaeology, history, and culture.

Project Overview
Having completed multiple projects on the Harvard University campus, the school reached out to Black Bear during the renovation of their Semitic Museum. The university was retrofitting their museum to update their gallery and further protect the artifacts preserved in the building as well as maintain the safety of visitors as they walked the property. Though Black Bear was hired directly to install a new system, it was also necessary to bring in a civil engineering firm to assist with a floor solution.
The Process
  • STEP 1
    Floor demolition exposed preexisting conditions
  • STEP 2
    Removed vinyl layers and demolition of granolith
  • STEP 3
    Waterproofed existing slab on 3rd floor
  • STEP 4
    Colored and poured concrete
  • STEP 5
    Polished and installed 6 inch decorative border
Project Details
  • Project Name - Harvard Semitic Museum
  • Type of Business - College / University Campus
  • Location - Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • GC/Architects - Direct Hire & Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
  • Size - 5,000 Sqft
  • Timeframe - Phased over 3 months
  • Products - Waterproofing Dex-O-Tex M-E Flooring, Metzger McGuire RS 88 custom color polyuria, Prosoco Consolideck LS Guard Densifier, Tennant’s Eco-HTS 100 urethane
Challenges
The museum, in an old historical building, revealed problems early in the process that would need to be addressed as to not impact the artifacts and museum antiquities. While the initial solution needed to be redirected when existing floor revealed vinyl layers over granolith, civil engineers from SGH architects were brought in to collaborate with Black Bear on a new, more effective solution.

Black Bear’s Solution

Once the granolith was removed and the old slab was exposed, it revealed 4x4 blocks that would result in a grid-line pattern that the university did not want showing. Therefore, the Black Bear team collaborated with SGH to evaluate new options that would eliminate grid-lines. An integrally colored, modified 2 inch topping was engineered and installed, polished, and enhanced with a decorative border.

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