Tom Ralston Concrete, Santa Cruz, CA

The first challenge of this project was to retain the hillside while working with an existing waterline that could not be moved. Access was limited, forcing Ralston to use small bobcats to load every bucket of dirt. All hillside excavation was done by hand, which took three weeks. The project required 450 yards of concrete, and 200 yards of dirt were hauled away. The judges called this a ͞stunning͟ project; amazing, astounding, and extremely demanding. They were particularly impressed with the excavation required, the lighting in the walls and the appearance of the hardscape both in the daytime and at night.