EXPERT ADVICE
(^) // ARCHITECTURE
50 SHADES OF GREY
— CONCRETE CONSIDERATIONS
We boast the longest unbroken lineage of art and culture in the world. Rock and stone have always
been at the heart of Australia’s culture; they’ve been used as the nation’s canvas and provided
shelter since the Stone Age
WORDS // PETER COLQUHOUN PHOTOGRAPHY // HELEN BANKERS
T
he man-made version of rock or stone
is concrete, which itself dates back
millennia. When mixed with stone
or decorative aggregates, concrete
creates that same timeless feel.
To give you an idea of how far decorative
concrete has come, there is evidence that
suggests the pyramids of Egypt were partly
made of an agglomerate of limestone cast
in-situ, or in other words, decorative stone.
This would certainly help explain
its construction in the days before the
scissor lift.
Fast forward to contemporary design,
and stone and concrete are still central —
from Gaudi’s organic stone forms of Casa
Batlló (1904) to the cantilevering levels
and exposed stone in Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Fallingwater (1935) and Richard Neutra’s
Palm Springs home (1947). These buildings
led the way in expressing stone and
concrete in new and decorative ways.
When it comes to choosing concrete,
it’s far more than just 50 shades of grey.
Coloured concrete can be made in virtually
any colour, with the additional pigment
added to the mix. In the 21st century,
companies such as Geostone have also
made enormous advances in concrete
technology, streamlining the selection
process when it comes to choosing
aggregates, colours and mixes.
Adding aggregate (the little stones put
into the concrete mix) instantly creates
colour and texture and this is where you
can really make concrete look like stone.
Usually there will be a range of dark to
light aggregates of various sizes. Once the
concrete is poured, it’s given a light spray to
reveal these little stones. The concrete can
then be polished using a range of tools and
Concreteologist House from Grand
Designs New Zealand Series Two
Concreteologist House from Grand
Designs New Zealand Series Two