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This article appeared in Archetectural West magazine September/October 2009. The Clay Roof Tile Dome
Andrew Skurman Architects, San Francisco, Calif., and Brad Engelland, vice president Residential Architecture, Commercial Property Development, The Irvine Company, made inquiries to MCA Clay Roof Tile, based in Corona, California. MCA responded immediately with enthusiasm about the venture and were eager to take on the challenge.
The tile color specified by designer Celia Conover of Conover, a design studio located in San Diego, Calif., also presented a challenge: a semi-gloss in several shades of brown, each tone slightly different from the ARCHITECTURAL WEST – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009 15 next. It is very difficult to make slight color changes in over 4,000 pieces of tile. Experienced in making glazes of all types and colors, MCA was able to meet the specifications. In a location that averages 340 days of sunshine every year, the Wedding Rotunda needed a special gloss that would do justice to the sunny skies and panoramic view. MCA created a custom semi-gloss finish in several shades of brown to produce a romantic and awe-inspiring clay tile dome that supremely catches the light.
Posing quite an architectural challenge in the beginning, the end product was certainly worth the effort. A modern day work of art, the Wedding Rotunda at Pelican Hill is quickly becoming a Southern California landmark.
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A prominent architectural
feature of Ancient Rome,
revived during the Italian
Renaissance, the dome
roof has been reborn on the Newport Coast
in Southern California. The Resort at Pelican
Hill, perched on 504 acres of sundrenched
hillsides, is set at one of the finest
areas for a perfect wedding. Offering views
of the Pacific from nearly every vantage
point, a perfect location would call for
something magnificent… a perfect Wedding
Rotunda. Only the elegance of clay tile for
The Clay Roof Tile Dome
Perfection at Pelican Hill in Southern California
by Lyla Lawry, marketing coordinator, MCA
the dome would do. Great in concept but
difficult in application, the new-generation
clay tile dome roof on the Wedding Rotunda
would require innovation, invention, determination,
and skilled workmanship.
The Romans first realized the architectural
potential of the dome, and this culminated
in the Pantheon, built in about A.D. 112.
During the Renaissance, the dome heavily
influenced classical designs and became a
prominent feature in Roman and Tuscan
architecture. In the 21st century, architects,
builders, and designers, still covet the
impressive and superb beauty of a dome
roof or rotunda. But until recently, choices
of roofing materials for domes were very
limited. Most often, only metal domes were
available. The timeless elegance and Old
World appeal of a clay tile roof seemed out
of reach for the rounded curves of a large
dome roof. Not many manufacturers of
such dome tile existed. 
MCA had never made a tile for
installation on a dome roof, yet its people
expressed confidence that it could
be done and were anxious to get started.
Dome tile is difficult to measure
for the exposure of each course. Every
inch the courses go up, the circumference
changes, so the exposure changes.
So, without cutting any tile, fitting the
tile to the dome shape was very challenging.
It was a process of trial and
error, experimenting with different
shapes and sizes to find the perfect fit.
But, drawing on their experience and
craftsmanship, MCA was able to establish
a mathematical formula, using
their patented Turret Tile® concept, to
create an extraordinary Fish Scale
Dome Turret Tile. MCA presented
their newest product on a model that was
built at the MCA plant, and the Wedding
Rotunda began to become a reality. 
Cuesta Construction, located in Costa
Mesa, Calif., chose Mesa Roofing, Anaheim,
Calif., because of its experience and masterful
workmanship. “The talents and skills of
Dirk Cannizzaro and Dick Townsend of
Mesa Roofing were instrumental in the execution
of this prestigious project. Their
cooperation and feedback on the project
were crucial in developing a product that
was not only consistently high in quality,
but also straightforward in installation,”
notes Bob Hale, sales manager, MCA.
“MCA has developed a clay dome tile that is
custom-made for each job and comes with
job-specific instructions. And, with over 50
colors of clay dome tile available, the appeal
of clay tile domes is rapidly expanding.” 
