Concrete - Experimenting with Surface Techniques

a look into four unique surface techniques

Concrete.

Contents

s.

Introduction Case Studies Nottingham Contemporary The National Theatre The Hepworth Gallery The Bruder Klaus Field Chapel

Methodology Pattern.

Dye. Grain.

Crown.

Video.

Gone - Off.

Case Studies.

Nottingham Contemporary, a home for contemporary Art and Artist studios in the city, was designed

by Caruso St John architects and completed in 2009. The impressive 93 concrete panels were inspired from Nottingham’s 19th Century Lace Market industry, are used as a detailed and delicate façade, connecting history and technology together.

The Pattern was adapted by Louise West from a machine-made piece from 1847 by Richard Birkin, found in a time capsule. Contacted in 2006, the architects contacted the Nottinghamshire Bobbin Lace Society to create design to create an additional texture on the pre-cast concrete, visible on the slightly more prominently where the light hits concave surface. This delicate design was ‘faithfully replicated’ on panels that could weigh up to 11 tonnes

Why did I pick this technique? With such brutal connotations, Concrete has been in the public perception as a hard and urban material. Concrete has been chosen in living memory time and time again to create a dividing line; Council Flats, the Berlin Wall, Industrialisation, the ability to mass-produce through pre-casting and XXXX has created a stigma. However, here, the delicate pattern and the history that has gone into adapting and regenerating styles and motifs shows that it can be intricate and delicate as well.

References: http://www.carusostjohn.com/projects/nottingham-contemporary/ http://www.louisewestlacedesign.co.uk/gallery/nottingham-contemporary

The National Theatre, in London by Denys Landun, completed in 1976 sits on the South Bank of London, and is a “layered concrete landscape” of forms. As a true example of British Brutalism, it came from an age of ‘Public waiting foyers, Lasdun began creating the perfect spaces inside without regard for the outside appearance. With an evolutionary design process, it’s no wonder why the concrete casting process has been left visible for everyone to see - and touch. The rough-cast concrete surface of the theatre shows the imprint of the sawn wooden planks used as shattering, and was apparently only allowed to be used twice on either-side, to show the diversity of wood grain and preserve the integrity of the impression.

Dividing opinions, the National Theatre is Grade II Heritage listed, and has been under a series of refurbishments to preserve its the integrity.

Inspired by the exterior textures, the creators of sets inside have used plaster and other techniques to mimic rough-cut wood with coats of dark and light grey tones with a thin chalky paint to pick up on the texture or by

Why did I pick this technique? The Rough-cut shuttering on the National Theatre is an iconic texture of the Brutalist movement. However, recently, Concrete within the architecture circles has become more of a luxury surface because of it’s tactile nature and desirable heat properties. The wood-grain of the casting process are lit with spotlights, casting a warm glow across the texture, highlighting every imperfection and the details left. Watching the techniques preformed by the set designers shows the richness and colour that is made when this technique is applied, it really inspired me to create an authentic version.

References: https://rchitecture.wordpress.com/author/architecturekingston/page/17/

The Hepworth Gallery

Why did I pick this technique?

The Bruder Klaus Field Chapel by Peter Zumthor is a sensory piece of architecture where the unique concrete texture hasn’t been used as a Façade. Instead, the ‘rammed concrete’ is hidden by a rigid, rectangular tower, left behind as a reminder of the process. Created and constructed by local farmers who wanted to create concrete on the frame and rammed down to create a densely pack the grain inside.

After 24 days of layering the concrete, the internal wooden frame was set alight and left behind a hollowed blackened cavity, leaving just beautifully textured remnants behind. Left completely open to the elements, the chapel

charring process, the texture left behind from the rammed concrete is not only more delicate but compliments the religious function.

Why did I pick this technique? more through its creation than words and language can. One of the great works I’d really like to visit soon, making a

References:

Pattern, Dye, Grain, Crown.

Ingredients list: Plywood - chosen over MDF which can absorb the water and bow.

Lazer-cut template - Attached in the appendix, for the intricate pattern.

Sand Mix & Binding Agent - preferably not left too long or that has been long forgotten about.

Additives - Gravel, Crushed Glass, Dyes, reclaim and reuse when possible.

Mixer or Spade, and someone who knows what they’re doing - Thanks Dad! No-Nails Glue - for the Boxes.

Nails - for the No-nails.

A tree stump or section of trunk - textured enough for a nice effect.

Chainsaw - For the edges.

Kindlin Sticks and Rope - to hold as a burnable mould.

Organic Open Fire Optional extra: Cup of Tea or Coffee - you deserve it.

Method

To create the series of concrete surface texture experiments, I created three square boxes from Plywood that would each serve a different purpose. The First was to include a detailed textured or geometric pattern, of which the concrete would be poured over, and when opened would reveal a crisp effect. The Second, would be the process of adding dyes and different types of gravel to see what effect this would have. The third, to be burnt away and leave charred edges. When in the process itself, I decided to create a 3D wood pattern with the third box and instead use sticks tied together as a mould that would then burn away, to show how texture can be crated by shuttering as well as the effect of burning.

I put the boxes together in advance of the mixing, wouldn’t spill out. Unfortunately, the glue didn’t hold as well as intended and I needed to reapply. After a leak, I placed bricks to hold the shuttering in place. If I were to redo this project, using clamps could have been more effective.

To make the mix, we used roughly four shovels of sand and one shovel of mixer, and about four to six outside the back of our house without any container. When making larger volumes, machines can take out a lot of the laborious process by continuously turning over and mixing it thoroughly, but without one,the techniques were shown to me while I recorded the process.

- Initially mixing the sand and binding agent thoroughly through, before adding some of the water into a small well.

- Closing the well with the sand helping to distribute water further mix by turning layers over.

- Repeating the process again and makes sure that every part is equally wet and won’t crumble.

- Adding the water bit by bit, to make sure it wouldn’t be too wet too quickly. The more times it was mixed, the more the whole thing seemed to stick together.

Removing the shutting took different ammounts of time depending on where the boxes were left to dry. The square boxes were left in an enclosed outbuilding, whereas the circular crown was brought inside, to dry faster. This was to ensure the wood would burn effectively, and wouldn’t crumble when removing the plastic container.

removed the outside edges of the boxes, after about four days they were still quite wet. I left these for another three days to ensure the concrete edges had gone-off enough, though the question did arise if removing the shuttering of the pattern mould earlier would have given different results.

dolgy.

Pattern.

For the Pattern mould, I mixed a slightly wetter mix to help aid it into the holes, and used a nail to push it down into the intricate pattern and remove air holes. This mix was for the lower third, and then I added the undiluted thicker mixture on top to create a more sturdy base.

When trying to remove the shutting I noticed the edges were still quite wet after the extended drying time, so I moved the boxes into a warmer spot before removing the base. This came off relatively easily, within a few taps the box’s base came loose, and the geometric pattern came off with a few more taps around the corners. The effect was not as detailed as the cut plywood, but it did leave a unique texture that had areas of soft and hard edges.

If I were to repeat this process, I think using a thinner piece of plywood with a larger pattern would have aided the setting process, giving the texture some more integrity to hold its shape.

Dye.

For the Dyed Experiment, we broke glass bottles using a hammer and then I grinded these into smaller and smaller pieces. The idea was to have these as thin as the sand that would shimmer in the light, and would create a different texture to the average mix. I separated the smaller pieces - the size of the box, and mixed in about 10ml of blue food dye, that gave a green hue when fully incorporated.

When I uncovered the box, I found the dye had not taken much effect to the concrete mix. Only the slightest tinge was added, which gave a slightly more grey look, as opposed to the cyan dye I put in. The glass pieces, which a few had sunk to the bottom as I anticipated, were somewhat less prominent, but the small sand-like pieces shimmered in directional light and I believe add a unique visual quirk.

Grain.

This third mould was placed on top of a roughly cut piece of wood, that was found in the bottom of a pile of logs, to catch the texture of Grain. It needed some adjustments for the shuttering to be placed securely, and this was solved by using a chainsaw to create some channels for the plywood to sit inside. The box was then nailed into place to stop the mixture from escaping, and the box from moving.

When the shuttering was removed, we had hoped the majority of the moisture to have been transferred though the wood and would leave a relatively dry block inside. However, the moisture levels did seem to have stuck in the base and informed me that I needed to wait a few days for the other moulds to dry out. I believe the effect created was very successful, and really shows the indentation of the grain compared to the smooth faces the sides left.

Crown.

The Crown was created by using thin, evenly-sized pieces of kindling was somewhat spontaneous, but the idea came from thinking about the burning process more clearly, and surrounding concrete in wood would burn much more easily than using plywood or placing a log inside. I hoped the effect would not only be more prominent, but would show the ridges and charred edges better.

When set, some of the sticks were looser than others, and to place a wire cage. The burnt effect created was really effective, and worked well to

the process burning the wood adds to the texture, before and after.

Video.

Gone -

-

After returning to the experiments after sitting inside a warm

and coating.

Since the mix was created on the spur of the moment, this experiment artefacts. It leads itself into a new design thinking, creating more samples and experiments with different aggregates and mixes. The market for