Masonry Magazine October 2007 Page. 20
MASONRY FIREPLACES
The fireplace is going to be the heart of the plaza," says Steve Henri, director of planning and design for Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based The Taubman Co., which built the mall. "The fireplace is a place for gathering. It really adds a legitimate character to the area."
Henri said the biggest challenge was finding ceramic logs large enough to fit the eight-X six-foot opening of the 12-foot-wide cultivated stone fireplace. The logs were eventually custom made. The fireplace took about six months to construct, while the plaza took more than two years of planning and construction.
"The challenge was designing and thinking everything through, but it really went smoothly," Henri says.
HPBA's Darsa says outdoor rooms with fireplaces are becoming more popular. "With an outdoor fireplace, you can extend the outdoor season," she says. "You can stay outdoors and enjoy the season longer. A fireplace tends to be the focal point of an indoor room, and the same is true outdoors. A fireplace draws people in, so they want to sit down and be next to it."
That's the premise behind the fireplace at the Mall at Partridge Creek. Benches and rocking chairs near the fireplace allow shoppers to relax near the gas fire, which burn year round to light up the night, Henri says.
"The whole concept of an open air mall in Michigan is to celebrate the seasons of Michigan," he continues. "I think people in Michigan want to be outdoors."
Plaza sidewalks include a heating system under the pavers to melt the snow, eliminating the need for salt, Henri adds.
U.S.-carved European mantels
NOTHING GIVES a fireplace, whether inside or outside, more character and appeal than a hand-carved mantel and fire-
18 Masonry
October 2007 www.masoncontractors.org
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A fireplace tends to be the focal point of an indoor room, and the same is true outdoors.