CONCRETE/TEXTURE/PERCEPTION

As I seemed to keep coming back to these concrete structures, I've started looking into concrete as a construction material, its properties and uses. An aspect I came across is fabric forming concrete. Initially the idea of a forming method impacting upon the finish was something I spotted in my photography at the South bank, where the wood grain was visible in the concrete. Similar concept, but with fabric instead of rigid moulds, leaving behind its texture. The finished result is a product which toys with your perception a little bit. Even though you know it's concrete, part of your brain is telling you it will still be soft, one of those things you can't help but touch just to be sure. I love that visual trickery. But it loses the qualities that first attracted me to it as a material; large smooth surfaces, sharp edges and harshness, which all provide that visual contrast and 'strong shape'.

Key Architects; Anne-Mette Manelius, Kenzo Unno.