CONTENTS

PRECAST: CONCRETE AS CANVAS

THE RESURGENCE OF BRUTALIST DESIGNS, COUPLED WITH AN UPSURGE IN APARTMENT LIVING MEANS THE POPULARITY OF CONCRETE AS A CANVAS FOR CREATIVITY IS ON THE RISE, WRITES NATIONAL PRECAST CEO SARAH BACHMANN.

Emerging from the 1920s and coming to its fore in the early 1970s, brutalist architecture has made its mark around the world, producing massive, raw, geometric concrete designs. It fell out of favour by the mid-‘70s, however designs influenced by the style are making a comeback. At the same time, many Australian capitals are experiencing an increased demand for high-rise apartment living, most of which is being constructed with efficient and durable precast concrete.

THE GROWTH OF CONCRETE ARTISTRY
Large format concrete facades are providing designers with opportunities to broaden their creative horizons. And concrete is not only being used by designers for a building’s structure and form; it is being used as a canvas to create works of art.

For years, designers have been collaborating with artists and precast manufacturers to produce stunning visual impact in concrete. Commissioning an artist is not the only option when it comes to improving the visual aesthetic of a building facade. Various methods of staining, texturising and etching are available to increase the visual component of a structure. Our Precast members are at the forefront of their field in this regard, experts at manipulating concrete to give designers the result they are after. With the ability to offer multiple finishes on single panels, adjust shape and introduce pattern, these precast masters can also play with integral colour pigments, cement, sand, aggregate and stains to achieve a project’s design outcome without breaking the bank. A variety of more traditional applied finishes are also available, such as honing or polishing.

THE ART OF THE DOME
The landmark Geelong Library and Heritage Centre is a multi-award winning creation, featuring a coloured glassreinforced concrete (GRC) dome façade. Its design saw ARM Architecture working with National Precast members Asurco Contracting, Otway Precast and Ramsetreid.

Lightweight GRC dome facade panels manufactured by Asurco in a palette of four muted browns look visually stunning and have all the other benefits that only precast offers. Long lasting, strong and low maintenance, the panels will serve its heritage title well for many years to come.

Designer, artist, sculptor and precaster unite to create memorial In a different form, project designers Aspect Melbourne collaborated with artist Charles Anderson, sculptor Darryl Cowie and National Precast member SA Precast to create the threedimensional, six panel frieze at Canberra’s National Emergency Service Memorial. It recognises the thousands of men and women who have served in Australia’s emergency services as a collection of cast-in images reflecting the diversity of emergency services personnel.

A UNIQUE URBAN CANVAS
One example of adding colour and life to what could have been a somewhat forgotten facade is incorporating the talent of Adelaide-based artist Lisa King. She expresses herself through her artwork on large buildings within the CBD and surrounding suburbs. Her contemporary and unique style has brought life and colour to multiple areas, improving the atmosphere of the urban scapes.

One of her latest pieces located in Bowden features artwork consisting of a modern 26-metre-high mural. The wall, constructed with precast concrete, provided a perfect canvas for her mural, offering a smooth and even surface. National Precast member HMV Precast was engaged to supply the panels for the building.■

Sarah Bachmann, National Precast CEO

 

 

 

 

 


popup top
Click the book icon to navigate
table of contents
popup left
Click here for
previous articles
Click here for
next articles
popup right
swipe left swipe text swipe right
Scroll Down for
Feature article
popup bottom