Embracing the iconic Mediterranean architecture that defines Coral Gables, THesis Miami is the quintessential new luxury mixed-use development for this upscale community. Anchored by a 245-room hotel, a 204-unit apartment tower and two award-winning restaurants, the grandeur of THesis Miami is reflected in the intricate stonework around arches, entries and windows. However, the stone adorning THesis Miami is not stone at all – the striking textured accents are actually QUIKRETE^® Base Coat Stucco applied over customized precast assemblies.

Challenged to find a cost-efficient alternative to stone for the extravagant ornamental details on THesis Miami led to technical collaboration between general contractor Balfour Beatty, sub-contractor Advanced Stucco, architect Jorge L. Hernandez and QUIKRETE^®. In addition to delivering the beauty of stone while meeting project building specifications, the process for mimicking stone could not use Styrofoam or similar materials common for these types of artisanal applications. The solution was hand-applying 640,000 pounds of pump-grade base coat stucco over customized precast assemblies in 7/8” lifts up to two-inches thick. The result is exterior artistry delivering the Mediterranean look and feel of Coral Gables.

An additional 3.6 million pounds of coarse QUIKRETE Base Coat Stucco was hand-applied at 5/8” directly over concrete block, precast concrete and cast-in-place concrete to finish the exterior walls extending the authentic Mediterranean style across the entire development.

QUIKRETE^® Base Coat Stucco – Pump Grade is a flowable, high workability plaster particularly designed for spray applications. It is a fiber reinforced Portland cement based stucco, designed to be used as the scratch and/or brown coat in a 3-coat stucco application, or the first coat in a 2-coat application.