George Washington Carver Center

An award-winning polished plaster installation by Senza Finé for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD, celebrates the work of one of the most prominent agricultural scientists of the 20^th century.

For the first phase of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Center modernization, AECOM specified Armourcoat polished plaster for a reception feature wall which details images and quotes from Dr George Washington Carver, after whom the research center is named. Dr Carver was an agricultural scientist, inventor, and professor at Tuskegee University who not only famously popularized the peanut—but was also a leading environmentalist and developed techniques for crop rotation.

To achieve the wall design over 400 square feet of Smooth polished plaster was installed by Senza Finé’s artisan plasterers, overlaid with stencils and a further Travertine polished plaster finish. Polished plaster is a natural mineral material composed of hydrated lime and crushed marble to create finishes which resembles natural stone. It is trowel applied by specialist installers to create smooth or finely textured finishes which resemble polished stone in their appearance, hardness and touch.

The completed wall has been recognized by the Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Awards 2023, winning the plaster finishes category. The Awards are the only US program celebrating the outstanding skills and achievements of craftsmen in the construction community.