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The Art of Precast Concrete

Colour, Texture, Expression

  • Book
  • © 2005

Overview

Authors:
  1. David Bennett
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Table of contents (28 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages 1-7
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  2. Precast Materials and Methods of Manufacture

    1. Precast Materials and Methods of Manufacture

      Pages 8-23

  7. Great Britain

    1. 10 Crown Place, London

      Pages 102-107

    2. 35 Homer Road, Solihull

      Pages 108-113

    3. Experian Data Centre, Nottingham

      Pages 114-119
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About this book

The Brutalist period that followed the Modern Movement era, where cast in place concrete was used to excess, led to decades of mistrust and rejection of its architectural merit as the rust stained, grey-black, pock marked surfaces were laid bare for all to witness. Precast concrete up to that time was largely specified for making reconstructed stone panels, paving slabs and decorative features. Now it was used as the replacement for cast in place concrete in many European countries, ensuring the integrity of surface appearance with off-site manufacture. Precast concrete’s popularity grew, the product range increased and many new precast companies started up. Colour, surface texture, light and shade profiling and bas relief effects plus plasticity of form and large panel construction gave architects a design freedom that was not possible with cast in place concrete. Better material understanding, researches into surface durability, improved standards of manufacture and production continues to position precast concrete as the premier product for surface appearance in Northern Europe but it comes with a warning. It can be prohibitively expensive in some countries and is not always a popular choice.

About the author

Der Werkstoff Beton erlaubt gerade bei vorgefertigten Elementen eine große Bandbreite skulpturaler Formen und gestalterischer Möglichkeiten. Durch unterschiedliche Oberflächenbearbeitung entstehen interessante Texturen.

Dieses Buch gibt einen systematischen Überblick zu den Anwendungsmöglichkeiten solcher Betonelemente in ganz Europa. Ausführlich geht Bennett auf neu entwickelte, besondere leichte Betonsorten wie GFL-Beton (Glasfaserverstärkter Beton), Ductal und CRC ein.

Eine Auswahl von ca. 24 besonders interessanten Projekten wird ausführlich dokumentiert und gibt eine Fülle von Anregungen für den Entwurf. Zu den vorgestellten Bauten gehören das Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh von Enric Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue, die Synagoge in Dresden von Wandel, Hoefer, Lorch + Hirsch, die Botschaft Mexikos in Berlin von González de León u.a. Der Anhang liefert einen Überblick zur Baupraxis und zum Angebot an Betonelementen in den verschiedenen europäischen Ländern.

David Bennett ist ausgebildeter Bauingenieur in London. Er ist als Berater und Gutachter im Betonbau tätig. Zahlreiche Publikationen zu Architektur und Bauwesen.

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