Concrete Evolution Inc Company Profile

or artisans Michael Klein and Stephen Tyszkiewicz (TISH-kay-vich) of Concrete Evolution in San Rafael, California, concrete has become a premium artistic and functional media that allows them to create original, custom art countertops, sinks and fireplaces. And these pieces are nothing like grey slabs of scratchy, uneven concrete. By using the art concrete techniques pioneered by concrete master Fu-Tung Chen, Stephen and Michael can achieve exquisitely smooth, glossy finishes that take concrete to an entirely new level or, to be succinct, to a new evolution.

Liquid Stone
Stephen explains the artistic appeal and malleability of concrete: "Concrete is essentially liquid stone. You can do anything with it—create any shape, follow any contour. You can slope countertops down toward a sink for drainage, build trivets near the range top for hot pans, create a curved fireplace or design a bathroom sink that's a seamless part of the counter top. You can also inlay tiles, glass, or other artistic elements. And there are seventy custom colors, so you can treat the concrete as a sculptural element that's also functional and long lasting. The only limit is your imagination."

Imagination is an identifying feature of Stephen's life. As a child, he was an artistic boy who loved to build things, take them apart and learn how they worked. As an adult, he worked in the building trades, but really wanted to specialize in something that gave him the freedom to bring his artistic skills into his work. As he worked with concrete on one project, he realized that so much more could be done with it, so he researched, found the work of Fu-Tung Cheng, and took Cheng's advanced training to learn cutting-edge concrete design techniques. Stephen says that he was so fascinated by the possibilities of concrete design that he "jumped in with both feet." (Stephen then laughed at the picture that creates). But you get the idea. Once he was trained, clients from previous construction jobs asked him to design and install custom concrete counters, integrated bathroom sinks, fireplaces . . . and he was on his way.

A Quality Partnership
Stephen knew he had found the right work, so he founded Concrete Evolution with another builder, Michael Klein. He and Michael are San Rafael natives and have been best friends since they met on a soccer field at the age of five. Now, Stephen is the master craftsman and Michael runs the business and the shop. Together, they've perfected a special "reverse mold" process that utilizes their considerable expertise in carpentry. These molds are built to the precise specifications of each job, and can be built to any shape or size—even to the extent of creating custom curving water channels in a kitchen countertop. Their reverse mold technique also ensures that the concrete finish will be even and smooth, like nothing you would expect from concrete. In many older concrete countertops, what you see is an exposed aggregate surface that has been polished. But with the Concrete Evolution process, there is no exposed aggregate, and the finish emerges from the mold in its high gloss state.

Stephen says that the concrete pieces he installs continue to be artistic elements long after he's finished with the design and installation, "Concrete will last a lifetime, but it will also change and age beautifully. Concrete develops a patina after a while, and it just gets more beautiful over the years. It's like your own functional piece of art, like a sculpture."

Stephen and Michael see Concrete Evolution as an innovator in the industry and they look forward to creating their own line of concrete finishing formulations and premade sinks, planters, bowls and furniture—all made with the attention to detail they bring to every project. "Quality is in the details. Attention to detail makes everything come together. And when it does, people are just blown away. I look forward to the delivery and installation so much. I love to make sure everything is perfect, and then see the look on the client's face when Concrete Evolution exceeds everything they could have imagined."


---Karla Rutherford
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report