Events > Tilt-Up Convention and Expo 2026 - Salt Lake City > SESSION

When “We Can’t” Becomes “We Did”

October 23, 2026 from 9:00am to 10:00am Mountain Standard Time

Brian Peterson

David Cox, AIA, NCARB

Mark Spence

Responding to supply chain disruption, labor shortages, compressed schedules, and rising material costs, this session examines how tilt-up construction has been repositioned within large-scale educational facilities. Drawing from multiple school projects, the presentation outlines a hybrid approach integrating tilt-up concrete with masonry to improve efficiency, accelerate delivery, and maintain cost control while achieving a more refined architectural outcome. The work demonstrates how exposed architectural concrete can function as a primary design element across both interior and exterior conditions, challenging conventional assumptions about the system. Emphasis is placed on the collaborative process between design and construction teams, illustrating how a shift away from perceived limitations enabled new solutions and expanded the role of tilt-up beyond traditional industrial applications.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Examine the traditional aesthetic and performance characteristics of tilt-up and masonry systems in non-industrial building types.
• Identify the advantages of combining structural tilt-up concrete and load-bearing masonry to optimize cost, schedule, aesthetics, and building performance.
• Analyze strategies for elevating tilt-up from a structural system to an architectural finish through detailing, craftsmanship, and material expression.
• Understand how collaboration between design and construction teams can expand the architectural potential of tilt-up construction.