Karsh Precast Tour

Members of the UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy project team recently visited the Arban & Carosi (ACD) precast concrete facility in Woodbridge, Virginia, along with representatives from UVA, Höweler + Yoon, Heintges, and Hourigan. The tour offered an in-depth look at ACD’s unique process, from the creation of detailed formwork and placement of reinforcement to concrete pouring and final finishes.

The process begins by creating a monolithic plaster mold that captures the crisp edges and panel geometries defining the project’s architectural language. This plaster positive is then used to form a durable, reusable concrete mold, allowing the production of one panel per day with consistent precision. The result is a finish that preserves both the original design intent and long-term durability.

This project marks our second collaboration with UVA using ACD’s precast panels, following the Hotel and Conference Center, and celebrates the remarkable craftsmanship behind these materials.